BC Faller Certification

[BC WetCoast]

Apologies if this has been brought up before.

In BC, by Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, to fall a 6" and larger diameter tree, you must be a "Certified Faller". Unless you can be grandfathered in by past experience, you are required to take a $9000 course and apprenticeship to become certified. Naturally, the arborist community is fighting this requirement, as the regulations are entirely aimed at industrial falling and not urban forestry. And if you take one step off the ground in spurs, you are no longer falling.

Anyways, it's interesting reading.

http://www.bcforestsafe.org/content-program-fallers/program-fallers-1-overview.htm#faller_cert

 

[Canyonbc]

Wow.

$ 9,000

How do they expect anyone to make it...any where???

 

[Streyken]

Throw your belt and spurs on, go up 2' - now you're topping.

 

[Canyonbc]

Throw your belt and spurs on, go up 2' - now you're topping.

Haha...perfect.

Topping...

then

Stumping it.

then

Grind it out.

 

[gavin]

you should check with worksafebc and the b.c. forest safety council. i'm not positive, but i'm fairly sure that the new faller certification standard is only aimed towards production falling. other than the basics (stump measurements, safe saw handling, etc.) the material covered seems to be specifically for production falling. my friend just took the course ($9500 plus you need all your own gear, for a 30 day course) and the field portion of the course is working in woodlot. i just looked at the info flips and it seems pretty industry specific to production falling.

sorry that was a long winded way to say that i don't think they're trying to make tree services do this course, although i could be wrong.

 

[Streyken]

That's what I thought too, but a friend of mine who's one of the trainers pointed this out:

BC Forest Safety

Who must be certified?

Anyone working in British Columbia who falls trees larger than 6 inches in diameter must be certified. It isn’t just production hand fallers who require this certification. Anyone engaged in a forestry operation must be certified. A forestry operation is generally viewed as any business where money is earned for tree removal and/or harvest by falling and bucking.

It may have come off as a joke, but the belt and spurs thing, I'm serious. I talked to a number of officers at WorkSafeBC before I did this, they laughed, passed me around, and in the end said I was technically and legally correct.

They may make an amendment, but that would open up a whole other world of complication for them. Is it my fault that I can’t climb higher than 8’ due to my perceived risk the tree presents to my safety should I be forced to go higher?

In general WorkSafeBC is reasonable, and for the most part don't hassle our industry (that being tree services).

<edit>Also, I very rarely fall anymore, which is why I'm a little flippant regarding this topic. But I do know a few people that have quit because of these regulations.</edit>

 

[Ekka]

This recent thread may also be worth a look.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=54899

Over here in commercial forestry you'd need your chainsaw fallers ticket, readily enough available now and would cost you around $300 to $500

 

[Mitchell]

my understanding

You can challenge the exam for 900 if you can prove experience.
My conversations with the head guy over there a few years ago made it clear that arborists are not subject to this certification. nor are standing stem guys. They are trying to get these industries as they are self funded and want money. As the program is self funded it is in their best interest to convince you you need this ticket. I doubt you do unless you want to production fall.

I believe if you fall trees conventionally that are going to end up being sold you may need to be ticketed. It is a grey area legally in my opinion as the wording and act is directed at the forest industry and "forest operations," hardly what is going on falling a wood lot in Maple Ridge. The act of having a rope in the tree makes falling unconventional.

An example of the legal grey area I am talking about is... I have assessed falling practices for forestry on forest fires before. Falling trees on fires does not fall under forest practices or operations and consequently not subject to falling and bucking standards and forestry folks do not need to be ticketed. Forestry has its own standards that mimic the industry standards. falling trees on fires is waaaay more in line with the forest industry then what we do residentially.
I am not sure it is even a grey area, fact is or was, if it is not a forest operation it is not covered by the law, period.

 

[Streyken]

I am not sure it is even a grey area, fact is or was, if it is not a forest operation it is not covered by the law, period.

I tried arguing this on the phone with an officer once. Even though we fall under (tree services - other than forestry operations), we are subject to many of the same restrictions. For example, you must have a second set of (duplicate) climbing gear on-site for residential tree work. If there was an incident, coverage may not be forth coming. This can even effect your commercial liability as well, because the insurance company can say you weren't complying with WorkSafe OHS. WorkSafeBC seems to leave many areas open to interpretation - and on purpose from what I understand.

I don't know the real legal ramifications behind it, but fact is I have to comply with whatever WorkSafeBC says, working for municipalities and developers makes this a mandatory requirement for me. Though some days when you're trying to get information it seems you get passed in a huge circle and the end answer is - just be careful and follow the rules.

 

[Mitchell]

i feel your pain

I have literally lost days of my life to those yahoos. Waiting on the phone trying to get answerers to what are simple questions. Like you said you often never get an answer. I think they have forgotten there mandate [to protect and take care of workers] so long ago that they often do more harm then good.

I have found that most of there employees do not even know there own rules and regs. They are everything that is wrong with well meaning government bureaucracies, unaccountable monopoly, massive workforce, self serving, and out of touch with the real world.

And well you and I might ultimately be right about falling and bucking practices, I know I do not have the time or money to fight them for years. The 900 to challenge is cheaper then the legal bills no doubt. Particularly when they are using our tax money to shaft a guy. I wish they had common sense and ethics over there, OK ok rant over...

 

[Streyken]

I have found that most of there employees do not even know there own rules and regs. They are everything that is wrong with well meaning government bureaucracies, unaccountable monopoly, massive workforce, self serving, and out of touch with the real world.

Dead-On!

Is the 900 challenge still available, I heard they were going to be closing that.

 

[gavin]

Is the 900 challenge still available, I heard they were going to be closing that.

yes, the $900 challenge is still available. you have to have verified 120 days of falling experience. by verified i'm not sure of the exact requirements but then you have to fill out an application and include references for your falling experience. then you get put on a wait list to get tested. the testing is as follows:

once your time comes up you have to do a skills assessment. the tester watches you make cuts on stumps just to see if you have a general idea of what you are doing and if you have a chance of passing the test. if you pass this you go onto the written test. if you pass this (70% needed to pass, and i'm told people never fail it) then you go on to the practical test. 10 trees and they assess you on a whole bunch of things. the gear you use (you actually get marks taken off for using a modded saw), you pre work planning, body positioning, stump measurements, safe practices, etc.

to challenge the test you will need to contact the b.c. forest safety council (bcforestsafe.org) and talk to them and get an application.

 

[clearance]

I have literally lost days of my life to those yahoos. Waiting on the phone trying to get answerers to what are simple questions. Like you said you often never get an answer. I think they have forgotten there mandate [to protect and take care of workers] so long ago that they often do more harm then good.

I have found that most of there employees do not even know there own rules and regs. They are everything that is wrong with well meaning government bureaucracies, unaccountable monopoly, massive workforce, self serving, and out of touch with the real world.

And well you and I might ultimately be right about falling and bucking practices, I know I do not have the time or money to fight them for years. The 900 to challenge is cheaper then the legal bills no doubt. Particularly when they are using our tax money to shaft a guy. I wish they had common sense and ethics over there, OK ok rant over...

I hope you guys are never badly hurt, then you will never use the words "well meaning" to decribe the WCB. True, there are some good people there, but it is an organization with more than its share of heartless scumbags that treat injured people in an evil manner.