Manage arboriculture operations

This standard covers all the activities that may be required to manage arboriculture operations.

Activities could include managing some or all of the following:
• developing arboriculture plans
• coordinating appropriate resources
• monitoring the implementation of arboriculture plans
• checking the quality of arboriculture work

You could be working to a given specification that defines the methods to be used but you will be expected to determine how to manage the work on site.

You will need to take account of any restrictions affecting the work e.g. designated sites, presence of listed structures, wildlife, non-native invasive or protected species etc.

You are required to avoid or minimise damage or disturbance to the surrounding area including trees, other vegetation, wildlife and habitats, or to any structures, fences, paths, signs, ditches/waterways or drains, and to ensure that other site users are not put at risk by your work.

Anyone working with equipment and machinery must be appropriately trained, competent to carry out the activity being undertaken, and hold current certification, where required, in line with the relevant legislation.

You must conform to all relevant legislation and codes of practice, industry standards and guidance when managing this work.

This standard is for those responsible for manging arboriculture operations.

Core requirements and responsibilities
1. obtain the relevant information to manage arboriculture operations and confirm programmes of work with the relevant people, in accordance with organisational procedures
2. check any statutory requirements that might be in place that may prohibit or place conditions on the work to be carried out and confirm all required permissions and licences have been obtained
3. confirm that an environmental assessment of the site is carried out before starting work and take the findings into consideration
4. maintain the health and safety of yourself and others at all times, in accordance with the relevant legislation and codes of practice
5. assess the risks associated with the site and the work to be carried out, including underground and overhead hazards, and produce risk assessments and method statements as required
6. consider the effect of disease, defects and decay on the treework operation and obtain professional advice where you are unsure
7. confirm that sufficient control measures are implemented and emergency planning and procedures relevant to the site are established and recorded
8. monitor biosecurity in accordance with the relevant legal requirements, industry guidance and organisational procedures
9. confirm that procedures for the removal and disposal of all waste and surplus materials are in place in accordance with legal requirements and organisational procedures, and ensure these are followed
10. coordinate site services and activities and use the appropriate methods to maintain effective communication with the workforce and anyone else involved in, or affected by, the work, in accordance with industry guidance and organisational procedures
11. confirm that damage or disturbance to the site and surrounding area is minimised while the work is carried out and that the site is left in a safe and tidy condition
12. implement best practice approaches to sustainability appropriate for the work being carried out
13. deal effectively with issues that arise, within the scope and limitations of your responsibilities and report issues that cannot be resolved, in accordance with organisational procedures
14. complete and securely store all relevant documentation in accordance with legal and organisational requirements

Develop and implement plans for arboriculture operations
1. develop arboriculture plans to achieve the required outcomes in accordance with the information provided and risk assessments
2. select the safest working methods, making use of mechanical methods where this is safer, in accordance with the assessed risks and organisational procedures
3. identify and gather the resources required to achieve the outcomes of the arboriculture operations, in accordance with plans
4. allocate responsibilities to the workforce for their part in the arboriculture operations
5. confirm that all members of the workforce have relevant training, skills, competence and certification to carry out the work, in accordance with legal requirements
6. when using contractors, confirm that the relevant insurances are in place
7. communicate the relevant safety and work-related information and responsibilities to the workforce, in accordance with organisational procedures, and monitor that safety procedures are followed
8. confirm that appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for the work to be carried out is worn at all times
9. confirm the materials and equipment required for the work are available and fit for purpose
10. manage the safety and security of equipment and machinery on site
11. monitor the arboriculture operations against the plans, in terms of timeframes, quality, cost, results, and the standard achieved
12. manage any deviations from the arboriculture plans

Core requirements and responsibilities
1. how to access and interpret information relevant to the arboriculture operations
2. the importance of carrying out an environmental assessment of the site before starting work and the findings that must be considered
3. your responsibilities under the relevant health and safety legislation and codes of practice
4. how to identify hazards and assess risks associated with the site and the work to be carried out and how to produce risk assessments and method statements for arboriculture operations
5. the importance of checking tree health, the effect of disease, defects and decay on arboriculture operations, and where to obtain professional advice when required
6. the relevant health and safety control measures, Safe Systems of Work (SSoW) and emergency planning and procedures relating to the site
7. the correct use of warning signs and barriers to inform and protect others while the work is carried out and procedures for temporary traffic management where required
8. current legislation and codes of practice, industry standards and guidance, organisational policies, procedures and protocols, business and professional ethics that are relevant to your area of work, and to which you must adhere
9. the importance of biosecurity measures and how to ensure they are applied
10. the legal requirements and organisational procedures for the removal and disposal of all types of waste
11. how to coordinate site services and activities and maintain effective communication with the workforce and anyone else involved in, or affected by, the work, and the methods of communication that should be used
12. the potential impact of the work on the site and surrounding area and how to manage and mitigate the environmental and biodiversity impact of the arboricultural operations
13. your and the organisation’s responsibility for protecting the environment and working sustainably
14. the issues that can occur when managing arboriculture operations, the actions to take and organisational procedures for reporting issues that cannot be resolved
15. the scope and limitations of your competence, responsibilities and accountability
16. the legal and organisational requirements for the completion and storage of documentation

Develop and implement plans for arboriculture operations
1. the principles of developing arboriculture plans and what they should contain
2. the resources required to implement arboriculture plans and how to gather them
3. how to allocate responsibilities to the workforce and what should be considered
4. the importance of checking that all members of the workforce, including those not directly employed, have the relevant training, skills, competence and certification to carry out the work
5. how to obtain the materials and equipment for the work and how to ensure they are fit for purpose and available where and when required
6. the management methods and techniques for implementing and monitoring arboriculture plans and dealing with any deviations

Information required to manage arboriculture operations could include:
• drawings
• plans
• schedules
• specifications
• method statements
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• manufacturer’s instructions
• customer requirements
• quality assurance requirements
• industry standards (e.g. British Standards)
• verbal or written instructions
• industry guidance (e.g. FISA)

Organisational procedures refer to procedures set by the organisation you are employed by or the organisation that you are doing the work on behalf of (the client or customer)

Safe System of Work (SSoW) – is a method of work that puts in place control measures arising from a risk assessment, in order to manage identified hazards, which are broken down into four elements: safe person; safe equipment; safe place; and safe practice.

Workforce could include:
• team members
• temporary workers
• agency staff
• volunteers
• contractors
• any combination of these