5.4- Working from a rope and harness
(With chain-saws intended for tree service)
This chapter sets out working practices to reduce the risk of injury from tree service chainsaws when
working at height from a rope and harness.
While it may form the basis of guidance and training literature, it should not be regarded as a
substitute for formal training.
5.5- General requirements working at height
Operators of tree service chainsaws working at height from a rope and harness should never work
alone. A competent ground worker trained in appropriate emergency procedures should assist them.
Operators of tree service chainsaws for this work should be trained in general safe climbing and
work positioning techniques and shall be properly equipped with harnesses, ropes, strops, karabiners
and other equipment for maintaining secure and safe working positions for both themselves and the
saw.
5.6- Preparing to use the saw in the tree
The chainsaw should be checked, fuelled, started and warmed up by the ground worker before it is
sent up to the operator in the tree. The chainsaw should be fitted with a suitable strop for attaching to
the operator’s harness:
a) Choke the strop around the attachment point on the rear of the saw (A);
b) Provide suitable karabiners to allow indirect (i.e. via the strop) and direct attachment (i.e. at the
attachment point on the saw) of saw to the operators harness;
c) Ensure the saw is securely attached when it sent up to the operator;
d) Ensure the saw it secured to the harness before disconnected from the means of ascent.
The saw should only be attached to the recommended attachment points on the harness. These may
be at mid-point (front or rear) or at the sides. Where possible attaching the saw to centre rear
mid-point will keep it clear of climbing lines and support its weight centrally down the operator’s
spine.
When moving the saw from any attachment point to another, operators should ensure it is secured in
the new position before releasing it from the previous attachment point.
5.7- Using the chainsaw in the tree
An analysis of accidents with these saws during tree service operations shows the primary cause as
being inappropriate one-handed use of the saw.
In the vast majority of accidents, operators fail to adopt a secure work position witch allows them to
hold both handles of the saw.
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