Rant: trademe.co.nz (owned by ebay) chainsaw policy

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Gregford

ArboristSite Operative
Joined
May 28, 2007
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Location
Christchurch, New Zealand
I was seriously looking at some old chainsaws on trademe this week when, before I could say "Eager Beaver", trademe had removed the adverts. Trademe is NZ's version of ebay, and is more popular here than ebay.

This has happened before. so I sent them a stirring (in more than one sense of the word) email to get some response and reason as to why they do this.

The reply is as follows:

"Dear Harry,

Thanks for contacting us.

Your comments and opinions are appreciated, however this policy was implemented upon advice from government representatives who specifically deal with regulation and safety issues. We implemented this policy upon liasing with the ministry of consumer affairs, who is looking at making the sale of all chainsaws without chain-brakes illegal.

Chainsaws need to have a chain break and hand guard as advised by Ministry of Consumer Affairs.

Legally they only have to have this if sold as new after 1984 - but we don't know when it was first sold as new so we have a blanket ban on all chainsaws which don’t have these 2 safety features.

If you have further questions regarding this issue please reply and we will answer your email as soon as possible."

I was not impressed, as you can all imagine and sent them another email. I suppose they won't let people advertise cars with no Warrant of Fitness or air-bags in case people crash, or perhaps baseball bats in case people use them as offensive weapons.

I ask you - how far will this stupid, PC, Nanny State-gone-mad attitude continue? It really makes me angry when not only do we get a horribly PC and knee-jerk reaction-prone government making unnecessary legislation to restrict the use of anything except our kitchen knives and forks, but now we've got "Trademe - restrictor of the ignorant masses" to protect us from ourselves.

Chainsaws don't NEED a chain-brake, although they are a very good idea, and the vast majority of old chainsaws sold here without them are old, heavy, slow-revvers which, from my part-time firewood cutting experience, don't kick back anywhere near as bad as a modern, ultralight saw. I have had a really small Stihl with a mechanical chain-brake kick back badly on me (my own stupid fault) without tripping the chain-brake, and in that case, and I suspect in many others, the chain-brake would not have prevented me from receiving serious injury had it come into contact with some portion of my anatomy. Safe working practices are far more important than all the safety devices in the world.

As I often say, "you can't legislate against stupidity", and all the rules in the world will not stop fools from hurting themselves. Now, I have nothing against chain-brakes and have them on my smaller saws, but as a guy who loves finding old chainsaws and bringing them back to life, it really irks me when a website like trademe decide that they "know what's best for the general population" and then, although legislation has NOT been passed banning the sale of chainsaws without chain-brakes, decide that they'll take OSHA's stupid advice even further than OSHA do themselves, and merrily remove people's adverts.:chainsaw:

Funny that most rules to restrict so-called "dangerous activities" are pushed through by people hell-bent on restricting other people's lives.

I spent nearly 7 years in Peru, where, thank God, OSHA is nowhere to be seen, there are no Warrants of Fitness for vehicles, nor Road Registration, and yet strangely enough, with all that, and with many balconies without guard-rails to stop idiots falling off, and no fences around swimming pools, no more people die of accidents per capita than in New Zealand. The reason seems to be that people have a greater sense of self-preservation in Peru, due to no Accident Compensation, no Unemployment benefit, no Sickness benefit, and the State-funded Health Service is, to say the least, not the best either. Or maybe all the fools have already died, leaving only the more safety-conscious people alive........

Maybe I should start a campaign to change the name of our country to Nanny Stateland. After all, this is the country where, and I kid you not, if a soldier feels that his commanding officer is shouting at him too much and hurting his feelings, he can hold up a little red card and be given 20 minutes "time-out" to recover. OSHA's regulations, I tell you the truth.

God give me strength......
 
good to rant, but more important you wrote and try to do something.
Only way things have any hope of change is if enough people actually complain to the right places instead of just to friends over a beer. Kudos for doing that.

snowballs chance of change, but at least I write to paypal, ebay, political, and assorted places. least we tried.

'Politician only see the light when they begin to feel the heat'.

kcj
 
I know what you're saying......

good to rant, but more important you wrote and try to do something.
Only way things have any hope of change is if enough people actually complain to the right places instead of just to friends over a beer. Kudos for doing that.

snowballs chance of change, but at least I write to paypal, ebay, political, and assorted places. least we tried.

'Politician only see the light when they begin to feel the heat'.

kcj

Yeah, I try too, but all too often it's wasted effort. Unfortunately, most people here aren't interested in "making waves", and so our civil liberties are gradually disappearing. I guess people who have always known freedom and prosperity are far too complacent. Might be something to do with having 60 million sheep over here.....
 
If the stinking ministry of consumer affairs want a handbrake jammed fair and square up their cringing backsides then send the bastards out to annoy me when I'm on my chainsaw... :censored:
 
Not that it helps, but I don't think that one has crept into advertising this side of the Tasman.......yet.

BTW, doing what you've done is the only way to get change.
Write and agitate.
I know it's a cliché but it's so true, the squeaky wheel gets the oil.
How do you think a lot of these silly impositions become legislation in the first place ? Some idiot takes it upon him/herself to save us from ourselves.
There's a well known 'safety' campaigner here that causes grief to the motoring public all the time with his safety crusades.
Unfortunately the media give him credibility as as he's good for a soundbite or two with his calculated controversy that almost sounds reasonable.
 
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Describe yourself as a collector and get enough people to do the same and they might go for them being sold as collectors items only, don't rant or swear at them either as it just puts their back up and would be counterproductive for your needs.

Might help?
 
Have you got an address?

If the stinking ministry of consumer affairs want a handbrake jammed fair and square up their cringing backsides then send the bastards out to annoy me when I'm on my chainsaw... :censored:

there's a fact-finding group from OSHA that I believe should pay you a visit :chainsaw: :cheers:
 
Blame me

I nagged trademe a while back about this, guys selling new chinese made chainsaws for SFA that were clones of saws from the 60's and 70's. Badly made, no safety features and so cheap they were being bought up fast by people who didnt know what they were buying.

In NZ any new chainsaw sold or used on a job has to abide by the new code of practice which includes having a chainbrake.

There was one particular saw that was being sold for about 140 dollars (keep in mind an ms200 retails around $1600). The saw had no AV, no chain catcher, no chainbrake, no rear handguard. Looked kinda like the old mobilco TAS motor, with a seperate drum shaped fuel tank on top, aluminium handles, manual oiler. I first came across one because a guy showed up on a job to cut up some firewood. It was a dangerous, vibrating, gas leaking, chain throwing piece of crap but they were being sold by the truckload. The saw ran all over the place rev wise and picked RPM like wives pick there moods. Dealers I talked to had come across quite a few of them. My brother at one point asked about buying one.

I was disgusted as what a POS it was and the fact it was being sold new without having to have any of the standard safety features that all other dealers have to ensure there products have. I contacted 3 sellers about there claims and asked them to at least put the fact there saws lacked some of the saftey devices that one would expect on a new saw. There response was to put it mildly, arrogant and unhelpful.

So I put trademe onto the department of labour to look at the legality of such POS being sold here with claims by a the seller that they were as safe as any saw sold in NZ.
They got pulled from trademe, this was nearly 3 years ago I guess. One guy sold them as mill heads and claimed the bar and chain were sold seperately as "gifts".

Im very glad I did it, but didnt think it would have ANY impact on the sale of used saws. That sucks.

You dont complain when consumer standards insure the milk you buy is malamine free, your kids toys lack lead paint, your dogs isnt poisoned by its dogfood, your cars tires dont burst randomly, electircal appliance dont shock your and catch fire, your gas doesnt seize your saw, and that you have come back if something you buy new is faulty. The "Nanny state" keeps you and your kids safe every day, more than youd like to think. Im sure if you put one of your saws through you leg your will get the state pick up the bill and pay for your rehab and make sure your kids are provided for while your out of work. Its not all bad.
Havent you had some close calls with kick back with your non chainbraked saws yet keep using them? You did say something about only the more safety concious being left alive....:)


BTW There is not OSH or OSHA in NZ, its the Department of Labour. But I guess you know this.

Dont start me on my feelings for them, we had a 4 hour meeting with them not long ago.
 
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Sorry TimberM, I really have to disagree on this one. By this theory, all classic cars would be unuseable [no seat belts, etc] No vintage toys, [no child warnings] They could probably do away with motorcycles too, just because they fall over [gravity] Where do you stop? I realize I'm different, I own 6 saws, no chainbrakes [they are that old] and I use some most everyday. I pay for my own med. insurance. No bail-out needed here. No government baby sitting service needed either. People have to be able to make choices, you can not govern everything.
 
There are way too many rules today. They all thought they didn't need God or the Bible and all those rules so they got rid of them. Now they have thousands of times as many rules and we're no better off.:dizzy:



Mr. HE:cool:
 
Sorry TimberM, I really have to disagree on this one. By this theory, all classic cars would be unuseable [no seat belts, etc] No vintage toys, [no child warnings] They could probably do away with motorcycles too, just because they fall over [gravity] Where do you stop? I realize I'm different, I own 6 saws, no chainbrakes [they are that old] and I use some most everyday. I pay for my own med. insurance. No bail-out needed here. No government baby sitting service needed either. People have to be able to make choices, you can not govern everything.

You're missing his point, importers were selling NEW saws without any safety features whatsoever on online auctions.
They were illegal saws, based on current safety legislation "but didnt think it would have ANY impact on the sale of used saws. That sucks"
 
More nanny state B.S. I'm sorry you NZ and AUS fellows are being subjected to it. It's what I fear will happen here if things keep going the way they are. When you define freedom, and what it means on an individual level, these are the areas where government can over reach, in your case I'm afraid they have. We may not be not far behind you.
 
You dont complain when consumer standards insure the milk you buy is malamine free, your kids toys lack lead paint, your dogs isnt poisoned by its dogfood, your cars tires dont burst randomly, electircal appliance dont shock your and catch fire, your gas doesnt seize your saw, and that you have come back if something you buy new is faulty. The "Nanny state" keeps you and your kids safe every day, more than youd like to think. Im sure if you put one of your saws through you leg your will get the state pick up the bill and pay for your rehab and make sure your kids are provided for while your out of work. Its not all bad.
Havent you had some close calls with kick back with your non chainbraked saws yet keep using them? You did say something about only the more safety concious being left alive....:)

The Nanny State does have it's good points, but that is not the point of my rant. As I said in my rant, I have nothing against chain-brakes, BUT...they don't always work when they're supposed to, and they are no replacement for safe working practices, as I'm sure you would know from your job as an arborist. Trademe should not be deciding to play God with items people list, unless they are very obviously illegal. Selling old chainsaws without chainbrakes, is not illegal, therefore trademe should not be removing ads.

What I dislike is that OSH regulations have done more to bugger up this country this side of David Lange than anything else. I dislike being told what is good for me by self-satisfied, smug politicians and bureaucrats who have never used a chainsaw, or gone hunting, or done any other productive, healthy outdoors activity. I also get very annoyed at the sheep-like mentality of NZers who back up all this mindless bureaucracy because they accept that everything they are told is the truth. So many of our civil liberties have been undermined due to this same mentality.

Your comment about putting a chainsaw through my leg has nothing to do with the rant. Perhaps you might think that having one on your saws keeps you perfectly safe, but I don't. Being safety conscious is far more important, and if you'd read the rant correctly, you would see that I've had a close call with a chainsaw WITH a chainbrake, which didn't brake the chain when it was supposed to. And that is why I don't rely on them.
 
You dont complain when consumer standards insure the milk you buy is malamine free, your kids toys lack lead paint, your dogs isnt poisoned by its dogfood, your cars tires dont burst randomly, electircal appliance dont shock your and catch fire, your gas doesnt seize your saw, and that you have come back if something you buy new is faulty. The "Nanny state" keeps you and your kids safe every day, more than youd like to think. Im sure if you put one of your saws through you leg your will get the state pick up the bill and pay for your rehab and make sure your kids are provided for while your out of work. Its not all bad.

Private certification firms could keep people far safer than the government solutions.

For example, you said:
electircal appliance dont shock your and catch fire

Here in the US that is guaranteed by a private organization, UL.

Such certifications would be more effective because consumers would be more aware of what they are purchasing, unlike now.
 
Private certification firms could keep people far safer than the government solutions.

For example, you said:


Here in the US that is guaranteed by a private organization, UL.

Such certifications would be more effective because consumers would be more aware of what they are purchasing, unlike now.

You are obviously unaware of how standards are formulated and implemented in this part of the world.

Australian/New Zealand Standards are the domain of Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand, independent, non-government, not for profit organisations. http://www.standards.org.au/
Both countries bodies work together, and funding comes from industry, investments, royalties, etc.

What any of this has to do with a private company deciding on subscribers advertising policy has me a little confused.....

TradeMe probably made their decision based on the fact they could possibly be sued if someone was hurt using an obviously new but illegal saw that doesn't meet any relevant AS/NZ, ISO or UL standard.
 
You are obviously unaware of how standards are formulated and implemented in this part of the world.

Australian/New Zealand Standards are the domain of Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand, independent, non-government, not for profit organisations. http://www.standards.org.au/
Both countries bodies work together, and funding comes from industry, investments, royalties, etc.

What any of this has to do with a private company deciding on subscribers advertising policy has me a little confused.....

TradeMe probably made their decision based on the fact they could possibly be sued if someone was hurt using an obviously new but illegal saw that doesn't meet any relevant AS/NZ, ISO or UL standard.


Good info.

You cant really sue or litigate in NZ, is a little control we put in place when we relised there were to many rats in NZ as it was. Lawyers and insurance companies have been trying to change the rule for years as it makes NZ less profitable for them and more affordable for us.

I totally agree that operating a chainsaw safely is 90% operator attitude, skill and experience. BUT in all the years I have been using a saw professionally and cut around hundreds of people, I have never come across ANYONE who has brought a saw that didnt think they knew enough about using it to be safe. And I have seen some real idiot homeowners whose level of coordination barely stretches to walking upright. When they have so little skill then a chainbrake (which the probably dont even know what its for) might be the only thing to save them from serious injury and the cost of many thousands to our medical system. They dont makes saws safe, but they do make them safer. (like wearing protective gear yet theres probably 20 saws for sale for every set of chaps you see on trademe/ebay)

I dont think Trademe should have stopped the sale of USED non braked saws. But I do understand for the purpose of applying a ruling they have made why they have gone down this route. Just makes it easier for them to police.
I have a simular beef with the dept of Labour as they are making it compulsory that ALL saws that are used on the ground have a chainsaw mitt, its seems to make there paperwork easier as no other nation on earth seems to even use em. Dont get me wrong I like em but dont want them on all 20 something of my saws
 
Compulsary chainsaw mits, just another clueless B.S. regulation dreamt up by the bored ignorant rulebook thumpers who sit faceless and anonymous in their office cubicles. Next thing these wankers will insist you have your hands strapped and padlocked to the F***n handles..
 
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