Safety Guides

FISA Safety Guides are listed below and are all downloadable for printing direct. They are numbered in the same format as the previous AFAG Safety Guides.

FISA 601

Mobile circular saw bench

This leaflet covers the safe working practices to be followed when using mobile circular saw benches in forestry.

FISA 506

Extraction by horse

This leaflet covers the extraction of timber using horse and chains (snigging), or horse and simple skidding units and forwarders in forestry and other tree work.

FISA 505

Traction Assist

The guide provides a short brief outline of the key safety points; of note in this guide are the QR codes which can be scanned to give the user view of additional set up and safety information from guidance used in New Zealand and Canada.

FISA 504

Extraction by cable crane

This leaflet covers the use of cable crane systems for the extraction of whole trees, poles or shortwood to the roadside.

FISA 503

Extraction by forwarder

This leaflet covers the use of a tractor and trailer unit fitted with a grapple loader or a purpose-built forwarder for extraction of timber in forestry and other tree work.

March 2018 - This Safety Guide has been ‘partially’ updated to reflect the new ‘stack heights’ guidance.  503 will be further updated to the new style towards the end of 2018.

FISA 502

Extraction by skidder

This leaflet covers the use of a wire, rope, hydratong or clambunk skidder for timber extraction in forestry and other tree work.

FISA 501

Tractor units in tree work

This leaflet covers driving tractor base units in forestry operations and other tree work and highlights the machine features and operating requirements.

FISA 310

Use of winches in directional felling and takedown

This leaflet covers the safe working practices to be followed when using either a tractor or hand winch as an aid to directional felling and takedown operations in forestry and tree work.

FISA 307

Chainsaw felling of large trees

This leaflet covers the felling and crown breakdown of large trees in plantations or of single large trees. It does not cover exceptional situations where the risk assessment shows advanced or alternative felling techniques, beyond those normally applied to large trees, are required. In such circumstances, seek specialist advice and agree safe methods of working.

FISA 306

Chainsaw clearance of windblow

This leaflet applies to the manual harvesting of areas where the majority of adjacent trees have been windblown or broken and also to sporadic windblow, within or outside standing crops. Mechanised systems should be considered as a safer alternative.

Additional information

Aerial tree work guides from Arboricultural Association can be found here

A couple of AFAG guides can be found here

Bulk purchase of some of the FISA guides is available - please email technical@ukfisa.com for more detail.