There has been an amended draft from Safe Work Australia regarding the Draft Code of Practice for Tree Trimming.
As per our last response to the July 2011 draft, Graeme McMahon’s feedback is available below.
September 2011 Tree Trimming Draft Code of Practice
Graeme McMahon’s response to the September Draft
This is the page I’ll be updating with the results
During the early 1990′s, Graeme McMahon monitored the heart rates of climbers using various canopy access systems.
In comparing spurs, prussic, frog and yosemite, he found the single rope technique (SRT) systems were an efficient method of access.
This had been long known within the caving, rock climbing and other rope access industries.
The video was part of a presentation to Arboricultural Association of Australia (AAA), included was Graemes research.
In the coming weeks, I’ll be making a post on our website with the charts, tables and documentation as pdfs.
Tape was used in the systems, as part of the research was to compare the efficiency gains/losses of shortening and lengthening these. Modern systems are tailor made to the right length to reduce bulk.
THE SEPTEMBER DRAFT WHICH SURPASSES THIS IS AVAILABLE HERE
A draft code of practice has been presented for comment on the topic of “Managing Risks in Tree Trimming and Arboricultural Work“.
The majority of the practical tree industry is notoriously shy to submit any kind of comment on these issues, yet, is often willing to complain after a guidance material, codes and acts have been put in place.
If there are items you find objectionable, now is the time to submit your feedback to the process. Time is fast running out.
Our response to the draft is freely available for people to consider.
The current Australian ArborAge magazine has an exert written by Graeme in regards to Tree Rescue as discussed on an earlier post titled Tree Rescue Article in ArborAge.
A pdf exert of the magazine can be downloaded from here. ArborAge Feb/Mar 2011
Graeme posted an article in this bi-monthly edition of the Australian ArborAge magazine.
The magazine is an arboricultural reference point for much of industry.
The article is in regards to the ongoing discussions on the topic of rescue tree climbers.
Digital and Print versions can be found on hub360 through Mayne Publishing.
When the opposing pendulums system was developed, there was no literature or evidence that such a system had been developed ever before. Graeme wrote a paper on the successes of the system and submitted it to the “Journal of Arboriculture“, however it was later published in ArborAge magazine in the 2000 October/November edition (Vol. 5, No. 3). You can download the abridged ArborAge Opposing Pendulums Article.
We regularly present this rigging system in advanced rigging seminars as a potential solution to difficult tree removals. If you are interested in having this system presented at your next arboriculture conference, rigging conference or company training day, check out our seminars page.