Help for arborists

The Arborists’ Working Group (AWG) is here to help arborists. Whether you are an individual arborist, a small company or a large multi-disciplinary business the AWG is here to help with those problematic and time consuming issues faced by arborists in their daily work.

Chaired by Jaime Bray, an arborist in the Midlands, the AWG consists of working arborists that get together to work through the issues, provide guidance and raise standards.

Here you can find generic HSE guidance and also the AA’s arb-specific guidance in the form of templates, proformas and associated notes designed for you to download, many of them free, and tailor to your specific business. For example:

• Do you know how to check for bats? (see guidance from Natural England below)
• Did you know that fuel requires a CoSHH assessment? (see downloadable CoSHH proforma below)
• Work at Height: what do you know? (see the regulations and a downloadable outline policy proforma below).

You can also read news and views from other arborists – some ARB Approved and others not. How did they do it? What works and what doesn’t? See articles in The ARB Magazine.

The AWG:

• Sharing methods of success
• Learning from our mistakes
• Helping arborists everywhere

To ask a question or offer advice: contact the AWG by filling in an enquiry form.

Subject	Generic guidance from the HSE or other authority	Arb-specific guidance, template and proformas from the AA. Note: whilst CHAS compliant this guidance is likely to require additional supporting material for larger businesses
Preparing a Health and Safety Policy for a small business	HSE: An introduction to Health and Safety	Health and Safety Policy template
Preparing a Work at Height Policy for tree work operations	HSE: The Work at Height Regulations 2005	Work at Height Policy – Tree Work Operations
	HSE: AFAG 401 Tree Climbing Operations
	HSE: AFAG 402 Aerial Tree Rescue
	HSE: AFAG 403 Mobile Elevating Work Platforms for Tree Work
Preparing a Risk Assessment and method statement	HSE: Five steps to risk assessment	General Risk Assessment template
		Generic Risk Assessment for chainsaw use
		Site specific Risk Assessment as part of a Job Sheet
		Framework for a Method Statement
Control of Substances Harmful to Health (CoSHH): procedures and recording	HSE: Working with substances hazardous to health	Generic CoSHH Risk Assessment template
	GB Oils: Diesel Product Safety Data Sheet	CoSHH Risk Assessment for diesel fuel
Training, qualifications and certifications: requirements and recording	HSE: Health and Safety Training	A summary of useful references
	HSE: AFAG 805 Training and certification	Induction Training Record and Checklist
		Qualification/certification recording matrix
Using sub-contractors? Helping you fulfil your responsibilities	HSE: Use of contractors	Sub-contractor competence check list
		Sub-contractor Safety inspection record
		Sub-contractor Quality inspection record
Wildlife assessments	NE: Bat habitat assessment prior to arboricultural operations	Site Specific Wildlife Assessment

The HSE has additional specific guidance for those working with trees that you may find useful: click here to access the HSE website’s tree section.

The AA also produces priced publications and runs training courses relevant to arboricultural contracting and aspiring ARB Approved Contractors.