Chainsaws
The following courses are intended for candidates who are seeking to work in professional forestry. These are assessed for NPTC certification on a seperate day. Topics covered are:
Basic Chainsaw: maintenance, crosscutting and felling small trees (CS30/CS31)
- Workshop and site safety
- Machine components and controls
- Guide bar, saw chain and engine maintenance
- Health and safety features and PPE
- Starting and pre-cutting tests
- Environmental and legal requirements
- Felling, takedown and snedding trees up to 380mm in diameter.
- Conversion and cross-cutting
- Use of felling and timber handling aid tools
Felling Medium Trees (CS32)
- Site safety and PPE
- Environmental and legal requirements
- Felling, delimbing and snedding trees up to 760mm in diameter
- Takedown of hung up trees using hand winches
- Conversion and cross-cutting
- Use of felling and timber handling aid tools
Basic Tree Climbing ( CS38 & CS39)
- Climbing equipment
- Techniques for access and movement within the tree to achieve work positions
- Use of hand tools
- Working in the tree crown
- Starting procedures
- Correct handling of the saw
- Accurate use of the saw to cut lightweight and medium weight branches
- Aerial rescue
The following courses are for candidates who are intending to use the chainsaw for business, domestic or leisure activities, but do not intend to work in forestry or arboricultural activities
Basic Chainsaw: maintenance, crosscutting and basic felling < 200mm
- Workshop safety awareness
- Guide bar, saw chain and power unit maintenance
- Re-assembly
- Health and safety features
- Lubrication and fuelling
- Personal protective equipment
- Starting and pre-cutting checks
- Site safety awareness
- Cross-cutting and stacking timber
- Preparation
- Felling
- De-limbing
- Takedown of hung up trees
Chainsaw: Maintenance and crosscutting
- Workshop safety awareness
- Guide bar, saw chain and power unit maintenance
- Re-assembly
- Health and safety features
- Lubrication and fuelling
- Personal protective equipment
- Starting and pre-cutting checks
- Site safety awareness
- Cross-cutting and stacking timber
Chainsaw refresher training
Some stuff in here about the refresher course...
Brushcutting
NPTC: Brushcutting Operations
Lantra: Brushcutters and Trimmers
- Maintenance (engine, drive system and gear head)
- Selecting the appropriate cutting head
- Re-assembly
- Maintaining and fitting the cutting head
- Correct personal protective clothing
- Adjusting the machine and harness
- Inspecting the site and identifying hazards
- Environmental considerations
- Fuelling
- Starting the machine
- Cutting a test area
- After-care and safe transportation.
Lantra: Refresher: Brushcutters and Trimmers: experienced
Chippers
NPTC: Brushwood Chipper: assessed
Lantra: Woodchipper: Non-assessed
- Regulations and industry best practice
- Preparation, operator maintenance and prework checks
- Safe operation
- Conversion to transport position
Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWPs)
- Regulations and industry best practice
- Preparation, operator maintenance and pre-work checks
- Safe operation
- Conversion to transport position
Sawbench
Mowers
Each course for each type of mower (ride-on, pedestrian cylinder, rotary or flail) covers the following points:
- Identify risks associated with type of machine
- Select appropriate Personal Protective Equipment
- Daily checks as indicated in operator's manual
- Pre-start checks
- Identify / report faults
- Adjust cutting mechanism to achieve the required standard
- Operat the machine in a safe and competent manner
- Perform after-use maintenance
- Understand requirements for travelling on the public road
- Be able to load and transport the machine (if appropriate)
Woodland Management
Cornish Hedging