Eye Protection for Welding

At Granite we have recently introduced a range of welding helmets and masks from Bolle for protection of the eyes when carrying out welding of all types. We also have Welding Safety glasses suitable for people who are walking through areas where welding is being carried out and for the welders when carrying out tasks when they are not using the masks, these offer protection against flying objects, see Bolle Univis 1011 Welding Safety Glasses on our website.

Risk of Injury

While most welding-related eye injuries are reversible, more than half of injured workers return to work in less than two days and 95 percent in less than seven days, some eye injuries are irreversible and permanent visual impairment occurs. This is especially true with infrared and visible spectrum (bright light) radiation. Both can penetrate through to the retina and can cause permanent retinal damage, including cataracts, diminished visual acuity, and higher sensitivity to light and glare.

Welders are not the only workers at risk. While the welding arc is the principal source of ultraviolet radiation, other workers in the area can sustain eye damage from the radiation as far as 50 feet away with the radiation reflecting off shiny surfaces, concrete, or unpainted metals. To counteract this reflection, you should install shielding curtains where practical or require that all workers in the area wear appropriate eye protection.

Selecting the right helmet

To make the right choice in selecting a helmet, it is important to understand the meaning of arc flash and what types of emissions radiate from the welding arc. Arc flash is simply the unexpected exposure of the eyes to the welding arc. The welding arc emits several forms of light including ultraviolet, infrared radiation and high-intensity visible light. Both infrared and ultraviolet radiation can cause permanent damage to the eyes, such as retinal burns. While high-intensity visible light may not cause permanent eye damage, it may leave the operator with temporary discomfort, similar to being exposed to the flash of a camera bulb.

Many people mistakenly think that the lens shade number corresponds to the amount of protection that is provided to the eyes and hence the higher the number, the better the protection. In reality, all properly constructed quality welding lenses, have a screen that filters out 100 percent of the harmful ultraviolet (and infrared) wavelengths and provides protection to the eyes. The number just denotes the amount of darkness provided by that particular lens and should be used by operators as a guide to select the one that is most comfortable but still provides good visibility for carrying out the operation.

High quality auto-darkening helmets provide UV and IR protection even when the helmet is not activated, you are always protected. However, for maximum comfort, look for a high quality helmet that has a response darkening time of 0.4 of a millisecond or less. Less than a millisecond is not perceivable by the human eye and will provide the most comfort. The auto-darkening helmets in the Bolle range work between 0.2 and 0.25 milliseconds.

Helmets come with either battery power or solar power as is the case with the Bolle range. In most cases, it simply is a choice of personal preference and what is most convenient to the operator. With a battery powered helmet there is a chance however of being flashed. These helmets offer a feature that will automatically turn off the battery after the helmet has been sitting idle, or the batteries may have lost their charge. If the welder isn't careful, he could get arc flash thinking that his helmet is still dark. Solar powered helmets do not suffer from this and also eliminate the time and cost of recharging.

Fixed or variable shade

If you are always using the same arc welding process on the same material, a fixed shade is sufficient. But if you, like most welders, are using a variety of materials and welding a number of different applications, your best bet is a variable shade, which will adjust to the correct darkness for your particular process. As an example, when you are TIG welding at lower amperages, you may need to lighten up the lens to see what you are doing, a variable shade will allow this while a fixed shade will not.
Types of Welding

MIG is short for Metal Inert Gas welding. The system uses a metal wire fed through the gun surrounded by an inert gas such as Argon, because the cost of inert gases are high this system is not generally used for welding steel, but is more used for aluminium.

MAG is short for Metal Active Gas welding. The system here also uses a metal wire but in this case is surrounded by an active gas such as carbon dioxide. The lower cost has widened the use of this system to include steel welding.

TIG is where an arc is formed between a non-consumable tungsten electrode and the metal being welded. Gas which can be Argon, Argon and Hydrogen, or Argon and Helium, is fed through the torch to shield the electrode and the molten weld pool. If there is a need for filler wire then this is added to the pool separately.

The benefits of this type of welding are: superior quality welds, the welds can be made with or without filler metal, there is fine control of heat and there is no splatter and low distortion.

Plasma welding is very similar to TIG as the arc is formed between a pointed tungsten electrode and the work piece. However, the electrode is positioned within the body of the torch allowing the plasma arc to be separated from the shielding gas envelope. Plasma is then forced through a fine-bore copper nozzle which constricts the arc. By increasing welding current and plasma gas flow, a very powerful plasma beam is created which can achieve full penetration in a material, as in laser or electron beam welding. During welding, the hole progressively cuts through the metal with the molten weld pool flowing behind to form the weld bead under surface tension forces. This process can be used to weld thicker material (up to 10mm of stainless steel) in a single pass.

Post and Wire Fencing

This article aims to highlight the safe working practices to be carried out when erecting or dismantling post and wire fences only, not wooden fences.

Post and wire fences tend to be used to enclose large areas where a wooden fence would be too expensive, time consuming or too weak. These fences may have ordinary wire, barbed wire or wire mesh, depending on what the fence is intended to keep in or out.

Materials

Line wire can be made of mild steel, high tensile steel or spring steel, barbed wire and woven mesh is normally mild steel or high tensile steel, welded and hexagonal netting is usually only made of mild steel.

Spring steel is the strongest followed by high tensile steel and the weakest is mild steel. Spring and high tensile steel cannot normally be strained to breaking point manually. Mild steel stretches before it breaks. Any kinks, twists and surface damage will cause a reduction in the strength of all types of steel.

High tensile and spring steel will recoil more dangerously than mild steel when cut, broken or just released.

Personal Protective Equipment

The following PPE must be used to comply with HSE rules:
• Gloves to protect against barbed wire, splinters, cuts and scratches.
• Non-snag outer clothing appropriate for the prevailing weather conditions, in certain cases it is recommended that high visibility clothing is used.
• Protective boots with a sole giving good grip, ankle support and must comply to EN 345-1. Although not mandatory thought should be given to using boots that have a puncture proof midsole and are also waterproof.
• Eye protection safety glasses to EN 166 because of the danger of flying debris when dismantling old fences and also if there is an incidence of wire recoil.
• If using power tools then use ear protection, visors and anti vibration gloves.
• If handling preservatives or preservative treated timber where the preservative has not dried, chemical resistant gloves should be used, and depending on the product respiratory masks should be used if the safety instructions on the product specify it.
• Each person should carry a first-aid kit including a large wound dressing.
• Hand cleaning material such as waterless skin cleanser or soap water and paper towels should be available.

Many of these items appear on the Granite Workwear site under the following headings; Gloves, Safety Glasses, Respiratory Masks, Safety Boots, Forestry Clothing, and Ear Protection.

Tools and Equipment

The tools and equipment required will vary depending on the type of fencing being erected or dismantled. However the basic rules are the same whenever tools are being used, they should be appropriate to the task and they must be checked to ensure that they are serviceable.
All cutting edges should be sharp and also guarded when not in use, do not place hand tools on top of fence posts or on the ground, use an appropriate tool belt like the Dickies Deluxe Tool Belt on the Granite Workwear site.

Manual Handling

Always follow the best practices for manual handling, a very useful leaflet is INDG145 'Watch your Back', this is available from the Health and Safety Executive.

Do not try and carry too heavy or awkward unbalanced loads, it is better to make more journeys, also take into account the conditions under foot i.e. uneven, wet, or steep slopes.
Always lift heavy items using the arm and leg muscles with your back held straight.

Organise the delivery of the materials and equipment to be as close to the site where they are needed, wherever possible use mechanised unloading or ensure that there are enough members of the team to help.

Wherever possible use an All Terrain Vehicle or Quad Bike to carry meaterials to the required area.

Preparation

Before starting check the proposed fence line for any underground hazards and services i.e. pipes, cables and any major obstructions.

If you are dismantling old fences look carefully at any vegetation growth that may make the wire or net unpredictable when cutting it.

If you are using a trailer to carry your materials look for a flat surface, if you cannot find one then always ensure that you unload from the top side or the rear if on a side slope.

Sawing

Make sure that the material you are cutting is secured, if you are notch cutting ensure you keep your free hand clear of the saw teeth.

If you are using a chainsaw then you must take all the safety precautions that were mentioned in our article on Using a Rear Handled Chainsaw published 11th November 2009.

Manual Stake Driving

Do not support the stake by hand, you must use a stake holder, also do not adjust or test the stake by using your hand whilst the driving tool is in use.

Always make sure you have sound footing and that your legs and feet are clear of the driving tool.

When you are using a maul ensure that all other people are well away from where you are swinging the maul.

Mechanical Post drivers

Please note that this is always a one person operation, if the post driver is mounted to a tractor by a three point linkage, the tractor must be big enough to remain stable during operation.

The machine must be properly parked and the brakes applied before commencing operations. It must be fitted with a gripping device to hold the post during the operation - never use your hands or a stake holder.

There is a big risk of flying debris so ensure a suitable visor is worn to protect your whole face.

Handling the wire

Always use a dispenser when unrolling the line wires, this avoids kinking and twisting which will have a negative effect on the strength of the wire. Always ensure that the wire is kept firmly in place on the dispenser.

Ensure that one end of the line wire is attached securely to the strainer post before applying any tension.

Knots can only be used on mild steel wire, on other types suitable connectors must be used.
If you are using ratchets make sure that wire has at least two full turns on the barrel.
Ensure wire strainers are properly attached and anchored before tensioning. Never stand astride the wire whilst it is being tensioned.

Never over-tension high tensile or spring steel wire by using extra leverage or more than one person on the strainer and never use a vehicle to tension.

When cutting always make sure that the exposed ends of the wire are secured, always ensure that high tension and spring steel wire is secured on each side of the cut. Make sure that you do not spike your hands or arms on any loose ends.

Always use protective gloves when handling barbed wire and ensure that when it is being dispensed it is kept taut. Always be aware of potential breakage and recoil.
Make sure that all pieces of wire have been removed from the area and that it is disposed of safely.

Safety Footwear

It makes commonsense to wear protective footwear wherever there is danger and in fact in a workplace it is often mandatory. Damage to your feet can have a major effect on your life and may in fact cripple you.

Common Injuries

There are a number of common injuries that can occur:

Injuries	Common Causes
Crushed or broken feet, amputation of toes or feet	Feet trapped between objects or caught in a crack, falls of heavy objects, moving vehicles (lift trucks, bulldozers, etc.), working with large animals, conveyor belts (feet drawn between belt and roller)
Punctures of the sole of the foot	Loose nails, sharp metal or glass objects
Cuts or severed feet or toes, lacerations	Chain saws, rotary mowers, unguarded machinery
Burns	Molten metal splashes, chemical splashes, contact with fire, flammable or explosive atmospheres
Electric shocks	Static electricity, contact with sources of electricity
Sprained or twisted ankles, fractured or broken bones because of slips, trips or falls	Slippery floors, littered walkways, incorrect footwear, poor lighting

Types of Safety Footwear

The most common type is the safety boot or shoe, fitted with a steel toecap and possibly a steel midsole. These are used for construction or agricultural work, and may also be needed for those involved in maintenance or manual handling. They usually have slip resistant soles, which may be resistant to oils or other chemicals.

Other footwear for specialist applications includes Wellington boots, chain saw boots, foundry boots (for molten metal resistance), anti-static footwear (which reduces the danger from igniting flammable atmospheres and gives some protection from electric shock) and conductive footwear (particularly suitable for handling static-sensitive devices, but giving no protection against electric shock).

However there are a number of products available that give protection against crushing of the toes and penetration of the midsole, but make use of composites so that they are totally non-metallic. For example see the Granite range under Non Metallic Safety on the website.

Standards

Safety footwear should comply with EN 345 Footwear with anti-static or slip resistant properties should conform to EN 347.

EN 345: Specifications on Safety Shoes for Professional Use

This standard defines the basic and additional (optional) requirements on safety shoes for professional use.

These shoes include devices to protect the user against injuries caused by accidents liable to occur in the industrial environment for which the shoe has been designed, fitted with safety toe-cap intended to deliver a protection against impacts with an energy level equal to 200 joules. This means the steel toe-cap will withstand the impact of 20kg in weight falling from a height of 10.2 metres. The protection standard in protective footwear also relates to compression corresponding to approximately 1.5 tonnes resting on the toe area. Safety Footwear is often generally referred to as EN345 but the full reference is: BS EN ISO 20345:2004

Class 1: All materials except natural or synthetic polymers

S1: Basic properties and closed back, anti-static properties, heel energy absorption
S2: All S1 characteristics plus waterproof
S3: All S2 characteristics and anti-puncture sole, studded sole
Class 2: Natural and synthetic polymers

S4 Basic properties and anti-static properties, heel energy absorption
S5 All S4 characteristics and anti-puncture sole, studded sole

Selection

The choice of safety footwear should first be made on the basis of the protection required, but comfort is a significant issue and should not be ignored. The most important factor in choosing your safety shoes or boots is how your feet fit inside them. Your safety footwear unlike ordinary shoes, should last for a long time and therefore you have to choose what you think is the best and most comfortable pair for you.

Unlike ordinary footwear that can adjust to the form of your feet over time, safety shoes do not easily and conveniently mould into the unique shape of your feet. So you need to set aside ample time in choosing your footwear before making the purchase. It is also a good practice to try the shoes wearing the socks that you will use in daily life. If you found a pair that you think fits, try walking around in it. If they still feel comfortable after leaving the shoes on for a few minutes, then you may have found your perfect safety shoes.

Resist the urge to buy bigger safety shoes, the problem with safety shoes is that they are harder and they seem inflexible unlike ordinary leather shoes. So some people tend to buy safety shoes that are a little oversized to give more room for the feet. Oversized shoes can cause injuries like sprains and even bone fractures. If your safety shoes are oversized, try wearing thick socks to compensate for too much space inside your shoes.

A choice of makes and styles may have to be offered to ensure that appropriate footwear is always worn when needed. Boots, not shoes, must be worn where ankle protection is needed.

Care should be taken in the choice of anti-static and conductive footwear; both give protection against the hazard of static electricity and anti-static footwear also gives some protection against electric shock. However conductive footwear provides no protection against electric shock and must not be used where this is a risk.

Maintenance

Footwear should be checked for wear or damage and replaced if necessary; certainly if the footwear has been in an impact situation then the integrity of the toecap may have been damaged.

At Granite Workwear we are fully conscious of the requirements for safety footwear and we stock products for all types of risk. We are distributors for a number of well known brands; Haix, Fortec, Dickies, Goliath and Muck Boots. If you have any questions on the best product for your needs then please contact us.

A Guide to High Visibility Clothing

We have all seen workers wearing high visibility clothing, after all that is the purpose of these products, ensuring that people working on building sites, roads, railways, airports forests etc are easily seen for their own safety.

However many people do not know the standards that high visibility clothing must achieve for it to comply with legislation and industry codes of practice.

The most common colours that are used are fluorescent yellow and orange, sometimes you will see people with matching tops and trousers and others with orange trousers and yellow tops and vice versa.

Standards

The main standard in the UK and Europe is EN471:2003, this splits down into Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3. Class 3 is of a higher standard than Class 2 as it has higher areas of material and more reflective bands. Class 1 with 0.14 sqm of fluorescent material and 0.10 sqm of retroreflective material is the lowest level and includes garments like over-trousers and harnesses, Class 2 with 0.5 sqm of florescent material and 0.13 sqm of retroreflective materials includes tabards, sleeveless waistcoats, short sleeved shirts and bib and brace trousers, class 3 with 0.8 sqm of fluorescent material and 0.2 sqm of retroreflective materials includes coats, shirts and jackets with sleeves, full body long-sleeved overalls and two piece suits. Also the regulations specify that there must be similar amounts of the fluorescent material on the front and the back of the garment.
The retroreflective bands can be inclined no more than 20°, the bands on the legs can be freely positioned from the bottom of the leg. The bands must not be less than 50mm wide

Class 2

Class 3

As an example of use; workers on dual carriageway roads or motorways with a speed limit of over 50 mph must wear class 3. Those working on other roads with lower speeds can wear Class 2.

Tests

In testing these garments to the standard the various components have to fulfil certain criteria:

Retroreflective Materials, brightness after: Rainfall, Temperature variation, Abrasion, Cold folding, Flexing, Washing and Dry Cleaning
Also if the garments are expected to be commercially laundered, the retroreflective material must be tested according to ISO 15797 Industrial Laundering Wash Test Method for 5 cycles.

Fluorescent Materials: UV exposure, Dimensional change, Water vapour resistance, colour fastness, Mechanical properties.

Selection Criteria

When choosing the correct clothing obviously any specific regulations must be taken into account. If there are none of these then the choice should take account of a number of factors; light levels both ambient and artificial, the affects of weather such as fog, snow or rain are some examples.

For some jobs only a Class 1 or 2 may be acceptable but where there is a particular risk then Class 3 will be required.

Remember PPE must always be suitable for the work; therefore you may need specialist fabrics like flame retardant, chemical resistant or anti-static as well as high visibility. Also the PPE must be comfortable for the wearer and should not restrict movement or increase tiredness through either heat build up cold.

Employers must provide the correct equipment free of charge to those employees who need it and must also provide storage facilities for clothing when not in use. They must also provide adequate information, instruction and training to allow the employees to use the HV clothing correctly. This must contain the explanation of why the clothing is needed, the risks and how and when it must be worn.

The employee must wear the clothing as instructed and also look after it, checking for any damage and reporting this to the employer.

Railways

As stated before on roads and other areas you can wear yellow, orange or a mix of colours, however this is not the case with workers on the railways.

The Railway Group Standard GO/RT 3279:2008 still requires the garments to conform to EN471:2003 but specifies that the garments must be orange in colour and also they must meet at least Class 2 levels.

The GO/RT standard also states that the visible material of the garment must not be compromised by the addition of company names or logos. Also there are limited titles or job designations allowed these are:-
• Rail Incident Officer (RIO)
• Press Officer
• Recovery Engineer
• First Aider
• Train Operators’ Liaison Officer (TOLO)

There is also a special standard for a High Visibility Mini Vest which has the requirement of 0.26 sqm of orange fluorescent material and 0.12 sqm of retroreflective material. This is below the EN 471 Class 2 level but significantly higher than Class1. The retroreflective material must be no less than 50mm wide and must have one horizontal band not less than 50mm above the bottom edge and then have one band over each shoulder connecting the front and back of the horizontal band. There is also the requirement for the shoulders and sides to be joined by means of touch and close or press stud fastenings, so that they will come apart if caught by an external object. The Pulsarail PR145 Tear Apart Vest on the Granite Workwear website fully conforms to this standard.

There is a full range of GO/RT 3279:2008 standard garments under the Hi Viz Railway (Orange) category including specialist clothing for using with Chainsaws when working on or near railways. Included in this category are a number of accessories including back packs, bags, armbands and warning flags.

Also a full range of Yellow High Visibility garments can be found in the Hi Viz Yellow category, all compliant to EN471:2003. In both categories where the testing certificates are attached to the pages so that you can be sure that the garments comply with the regulations.

Noise: just a nuisance or damaging to your health?

Noise can be a nuisance affecting your concentration and causing you to get annoyed, i.e. noisy neighbours, roadworks or passing vehicles; disrupting your relaxation, reading, watching the television or sleep. However noise, particularly in the work-place, can actually have a severe impact on your health, causing temporary or permanent damage to your hearing. Also, working in high levels of noise can impact general safety, by interfering with communications particularly safety warnings for example fire alarms.

Under the regulations of the HSE Noise Regulations 2005 there is a duty for employers to protect the hearing of their workers.

A risk assessment must be carried out to determine the levels and duration of noise. Action must be taken to reduce the exposure to noise by choosing quieter equipment and machinery, installing noise dampening insulation wherever possible or provide different types of hearing protection.

The noise must be assessed using the following criteria:

• Is the noise intrusive i.e. similar level to a busy street, a vacuum cleaner or a crowded restaurant for most of the working day?
• Do your employees have to raise their voices to carry out conversation when approximately 2 metres apart for at least part of the day?
• Are your employees engaged in using or being in close proximity to noisy powered tools or machinery for more than 30 minutes in a day?
• Is your industry noisy, i.e. construction, demolition, road repair, textiles, engineering, forging, pressing, bottling, canning or paper manufacture?
• Are their impact noises; hammering, drop forging, pneumatic drilling or explosive sources such as cartridge operated tools, detonations or guns?

How is noise measured?

The measurement unit for noise is decibels (dB). An ‘A-weighting’ ‘dB(A)’ is used to measure average noise levels and a ‘C-weighting’ ‘dB(C) measures peak, impact or explosive noises.
A 3dB increase in noise level is generally noticeable but in fact doubles the noise level, therefore relatively small differences in the numbers can be significant.

Typical Noise Levels

Action Levels and Limit Values

Certain actions must be taken when the levels of exposure are averaged over a working day or working week and also the maximum noise (peak sound pressure) to which employees are exposed to in a working day.

There are two values:
• Lower exposure action values
o Daily or weekly exposure of 80dB
o Peak sound pressure of 135dB
• Upper exposure action values
o Daily or weekly exposure of 85dB
o Peak sound pressure of 137dB

There are also levels of noise that must not be exceeded
• Exposure limit values
o Daily or weekly exposure of 87dB
o Peak sound pressure of 140dB

Reducing noise levels

There are ways of reducing noise levels and exposure, redesigning the workplace and the work patterns can be useful.

• Use quieter processes and equipment
o Can you do work in some other quieter way?
o Can you replace whatever is causing the noise with something less noisy?
o Introduce a low-noise purchasing policy for machinery and equipment
• Introduce engineering controls
o Avoid metal on metal impacts e.g. line impact points with rubber or reduce drop heights
o Dampen vibration on machine panels
o Use anti vibration mounts or flexible couplings
o Fit silencers to exhausts and nozzles
• Modify the paths by which noise travels through the air
o Erect enclosures around machines
o Use barriers or screens to block the direct path of sound
o Position noise sources further away from workers
• Design and layout the workplace to reduce noise emission
o Use absorptive materials within the building to reduce sound reflection i.e. open cell foam or mineral wool
o Keep noisy machinery away from quiet areas
o Design the workflow to keep noisy machinery out of highly populated areas
• Limit the time spent in noisy areas
o Halving the time in a noisy area will reduce noise exposure by 3dB
• Maintain the machinery
o Have a planned maintenance schedule
o Replace worn parts immediately

Hearing Protection

If the noise levels cannot be reduced to a level that is acceptable then hearing protection must be issued to employees. Once issued it is mandatory to ensure that they are used properly. Hearing protection zones must be indentified and clearly marked. The employees must be trained and given information on how to use them and care for them.

There are some do’s and don’ts listed below:

Do:
• Make sure that the protectors give enough protection – aim to reduce levels to 85dB at the ear
• Target the use of protectors to noisy tasks in a working day
• Select protectors that are suitable for the environment in which they are being used – consider how comfortable and hygienic they are
• Think about how they will be worn and interact with other protective equipment (hard hats, respiratory protection and eye protection
• Provide a range of protectors so that employees have a choice on what is suitable for themselves.

Don’t
• Provide protectors that cut out too much sound – this can cause isolation or lead to an unwillingness to wear them.
• Make the use of hearing protectors compulsory where the law does not require it.
• Have a blanket approach to the use of hearing protection - it is better to target its use to where it is needed.

There are different items that can be used for hearing protection:

Ear plugs are inserted to block the ear canal. They may be pre-moulded (preformed) or mouldable (foam ear plugs). Ear plugs are sold as disposable products or reusable plugs. Custom moulded ear plugs are also available.

Semi-insert ear plugs which consist of two ear plugs held over the ends of the ear canal by a rigid headband.

Ear muffs consist of sound-attenuating material and soft ear cushions that fit around the ear and hard outer cups. They are held together by a head band.
Different levels of protection are available it is important that you choose the correct level.

All hearing protection should comply to the following EN Standards:

EN352-1 Muffs and Headband
The section of the standard deals with head fasteners and establishes requirements in terms of manufacture, design and performance, test methods, instructions relating to marking and information intended for users.

EN352-2 Plugs and Bands
This part of the standard also deals with individually moulded ear plugs and devices connected by bands

EN352-3 Muffs and Helmet mounted
The present section of the standard stipulates requirements in terms of manufacture, design and performance, test methods, instructions relating to head fastener marking and information intended for head fastener users, when the latter are fixed on protective industrial helmets.

Ranges of hearing protection products including Peltor and Sordin brands are available on the Granite Workwear website under Ear Protection and Forestry Tools and Accessories; they offer various levels of protection covering all uses.

Tree Felling the Safe Way

Basic Felling

This is a short guide to the felling of trees in areas where there is a clear space of at least two tree lengths clearance in all directions and therefore there is no need for pulling aids to ensure that the tree does not drop onto other trees nearby.

Preparation

Before commencing this task a risk assessment should be carried out and any operator must be appropriately trained in the use of the chainsaw and how to carry out the basic tasks, for more detailed information on this subject please see the article Using a Rear Handled Chainsaw published on 11th November 2009 on the Granite Workwear web site.

Included in this risk assessment should be the prevailing weather conditions, particularly high winds.

Make sure that all the correct tools are available, these may include a breaking bar, a range of sizes of alloy or plastic wedges, a sledgehammer and a hand winch complete with a handle, strops and a cable. Wherever possible plan to minimise any manual handling by the use of the appropriate tools.

It is also important to remember that felling a tree is a one man operation and to ensure that no other operator or machine is within two tree lengths. Survey the site to ensure that there are no underground or overhead services nearby, including electricity, telephone, sewerage, water or gas.

The felling operation

Inspect the tree thoroughly to ensure that there is no dead wood, insecure branches or noticeable signs of decay. Decide on the direction you want the tree to fall and make sure you have a suitable escape route with no obstructions.

Remove any debris from around the base of the tree, and also any obstructing vegetation that may impact on the operation taking particular care that the dispersal of the exhaust fumes from the chainsaw are not restricted.

Remove any low branches ensuring that that you are protected from kickback by keeping the guide bar out of line with your body, also it is useful to use the stem for protection, never use the saw above the height of your shoulders.

Make a sink cut to make a hinge this helps control the rate and direction of fall. A sink cut is a triangular shaped cut with a horizontal base and a 45° angle placed in the direction that you want the tree to fall, it should be the depth of a quarter of the diameter of the tree and the top and bottom cuts must meet exactly with no overcut to damage the strength of the hinge.

Start the felling cut at or very slightly above the level of the bottom sink cut, as you make the cut be careful of the tree moving and trapping the blade. The felling cut must leave a hinge of at least 25 mm at right angles to the direction of fall. If the blade does jam switch the chainsaw off and then pull gently to try and disengage it, if it cannot be freed then use appropriate tools to open the cut slightly.

It is important to remember that once the felling cut has been started then the tree must not be left, the felling must be completed.

Once the felling cut has been completed then use a breaking bar to to lever the tree over, always remember to keep your back straight and use your legs to lift, also keep both hands on the lever.

When the tree starts to fall immediately step back and to the side into your pr-planned escape route always be aware that the butt of tree may rebound as the tree falls.

After the tree has been safely felled you can then commence the snedding operation to remove the limbs that were too high to reach when the tree was standing.

Crown Breakdown

Breaking down the crown of a large tree can be very dangerous, you should always be ready for the tree rolling or for the branches springing back when cut.

To ensure the tree does not roll the use of a properly anchored winch is required. Ensure that you have a clear escape route at all times and plan the work sequence so that this is possible. Ensure that there are no bystanders in close proximity. Never work underneath any part of the felled tree, if it moves you will be crushed.

While working continually assess the tension in the branches, especially those that are in contact with the ground and thereby supporting the main stem.

Cut away the smaller branches first retaining the main supporting branches, again never work above shoulder height. When tackling the larger branches ensure that any debris from your previous cuts has been cleared from the ground to ensure you have a secure footing. Always keep assessing any potential movement of the tree.

If the branches are large cut them down gradually rather than going straight to the stem. Once you have cleared the branches to shoulder height, use the winch to roll the tree in a controlled manner to bring the remaining branches to a safe cutting height. When you have cleared all the branches and the tree is in a stable sate you can de-limb flush to the trunk.

The Granite Workwear Site offers a large range of PPE specifically for forestry work including clothing, footwear, head, eye and ear protection, along with a number of articles similar to this one, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask us.

Fall Arrest for Arborists

Falls from height are the single biggest cause of workplace deaths and one of the main causes of major injury, this applies across all industries. By nature of the work, arborists often have to climb to high points and unlike the construction industry often it is difficult or impossible to use working platforms or scaffolding.

Therefore the most practical way of ensuring safety is the use of personal fall protection equipment i.e. a fall arrest harness, for example the Komet Miller Dragonfly and Butterfly II harnesses on the Granite Website in the Forestry Tools & Accessories section.

The regulations applicable to this subject are The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (as amended) obtainable from the Health and Safety Executive.

Fall arrest systems are designed to limit the impact force of a fall and ensure that the user cannot hit the ground. The anchor point must be as high as possible above the feet of the user thereby limiting the distance that they can fall.

Of course the anchor point must be strong enough to hold the impact force of the faller, taking into account the distance and the weight of the person. Always check the condition of the tree and suitability of anchor points before committing life and limb.

There are a number of actions that must be taken when using this type of equipment as explained below.

Risk Assessment

Work at height must be properly planned and organised and should take into account weather conditions, all personnel must have received appropriate training and be competent and healthy.

They should also have read the manufacturers product information literature.

Wherever possible try to minimise the height from which a person can fall and be fully aware of the consequences if they do fall.

All the work must be supervised, never carried out alone.

Selection and maintenance of equipment

The equipment being used must be suitable for the task being carried out, within the design limits. It must comply with BS EN 361 for a full body harness. All components being used must be compatible with each other.

All equipment must be checked even when new and then before each use to ensure that it operates correctly and that it is in good condition. The checks should be both tactile and visual, passing the equipment slowly through the hands to feel for cuts, abrasion or any contaminants as well as softening or hardening of the fibres. Ensure that the visual checks are carried out in good light conditions, also do not hurry these checks, your life may depend on it...

In addition to the pre-use checks a more comprehensive check should be carried out by a trained and competent person on a regular schedule and these checks should be documented. Particular attention is required where the equipment can come into contact with acids or alkalis.

Any damaged equipment must be taken out of operation immediately, even small cuts or abrasions will have a serious effect on the performance.

If the equipment has become wet in use it must be dried thoroughly before storing it in clean dry conditions.

Action to be taken in case of a fall

This topic was covered in the article Aerial Tree Rescue published on 9th November 2009 but we feel that it is important to bring attention to the risk of Suspension Trauma which is little understood by most people even though it has been known about for quite a few years.

It is a natural reaction in the body to being held in an upright position with immobilised legs. Normally the use of leg muscles helps to return blood to the heart, if the legs are immobilised which would be the case in using a fall arrest harness, this process starts to fail and blood starts to pool in the legs, this causes the brain to receive less blood and starts to be starved of oxygen. Loss of consciousness can occur in less than 6 minutes. Research has suggested that death can occur in as little as 10 minutes. If the fall has been caused by a trauma like a bad cut or a head injury then this timescale can be more rapid.

Suspension is therefore a life threatening situation and urgent rescue is needed within 10 minutes. However when the accident victim is rescued certain things have to be considered.The blood that has pooled in the legs contains toxins, which if released into the circulation could damage internal organs and in extreme cases stop the heart from beating. This is known as Reflow Syndrome and traditional first aid techniques could be fatal in this case. Casualties must not be laid flat at any time in the rescue or when on the ground. The casualty should be kept in a sitting position with their legs either straight out or pulled up to the chest for a minimum of half an hour even if they are unconscious.

It is important that all workers know of the dangers of the risks of Suspension Trauma and the correct techniques for handling it, anybody who has been suspended for more that 3 minutes should be treated as if they have it.

Of course prevention is always better than cure and all measures to reduce the risk of falling should be employed wherever possible, including regular breaks to reduce fatigue and the use of the correct protective clothing to reduce heat stress.