Unit of competency

Modification History

Application

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to dismantle trees in confined spaces and in difficult or hazardous circumstances.

This unit applies to individuals who have a range of skills to select and apply a specialised range of methods, tools, materials and information to complete routine activities and provide and transmit solutions to predictable and sometimes unpredictable problems. Discretion and judgement is required. The work requires the application of extensive arboricultural knowledge. Work is implemented with low risk work procedures and to comply with Safe Work Method Statement documentation.

Licensing, legislative, regulatory, or certification requirements apply to this unit in some states and territories at the time of publication, and may differ according to jurisdiction. Specific determination should be sought through the relevant State or Territory. Works involving this unit of competency may be subject to local tree protection and preservation laws, and the relevant content of applicable Australian Standards.

Pre-requisite Unit

The prerequisite units of competency for this unit are:

• AHCARB310 Perform aerial rigging
• AHCARB307 Use advanced climbing techniques
  OR
  TLILIC2005 Licence to operate a boom-type elevating work platform (boom length 11 metres or more)
• FWPFGM3212 Fall trees manually (intermediate).

Note the following chain of prerequisites that also applies to this unit of competency.

Unit Sector

Arboriculture (ARB)

Elements and Performance Criteria

Foundation Skills

Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Range of Conditions

Unit Mapping Information

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=c6399549-9c62-4a5e-bf1a-524b2322cf72

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Performance Evidence

The candidate must be observed removing a tree in a confined space using directional felling and removing a tree in a confined space using a dismantling process. The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.

The candidate must provide evidence for and demonstrate:

• determining location of above-and-below-ground services
• undertaking a site-specific risk assessment by identifying work health and safety hazards and assessing risk
• inspecting trees to determine appropriate removal methods
• confirming appropriateness of selected risk controls
• determining access to site and gaining approval by owner or site management
• confirming site preparations, including notification of local residents and authorities where necessary
• recording and implementing work health, safety, site, environmental and traffic control measures 
• determining drop zone and communicate to all personnel
• protecting, relocating and securing assets, property and vegetation related to work zone activities from potential damage during tree removal
• selecting, preparing, checking and using tools, equipment and machinery
• selecting and using personal protective equipment
• selecting and using safety equipment
• calculating mass of tree section
• confirming mass of tree section does not exceed the safe working limit of equipment
• dismantling branches and trunk sections using the 'cut and drop' method, and
• cutting and lowering sections by ropes and other lowering devices
• using dismantling techniques to ensure branches and trunk sections fall or are lowered safely into determined drop zone, with no damage to property and equipment or injury to personnel
• using directional felling techniques to ensure trunk of dismantled tree falls safely into determined drop zone with no damage to property and equipment or injury to personnel
• using and controlling friction devices where required
• using and controlling elevated work platforms as required
• reducing dismantled tree section to manoeuvrable lengths without injury to operator
• removing plant material and debris from site
• cleaning and checking tools, equipment and machinery, replacing if faulty or worn, and storing
• recording completion of tree removal and reporting to owner or site manager
• use of advanced rigging techniques
• calculating tree dimensions, mass of tree section and balance of load
• erecting signage, barriers, warning devices and traffic management equipment
• coordinating and sequencing work team activities
• use of industry standard terminology to describe arboriculture and work environment.

Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:

• site and tree hazards that might be encountered
• selection of low risk tree removal methods
• advanced climbing techniques and rope handling
• selecting and tying, dressing, setting and finishing arborist knots
• operation of lowering devices where required
• types of lowering devices that might be required, including friction devices, and methods for using them
• how to estimate density of tree sections
• the impact of force, breaking strength, safety factors and cycles to failure
• how to identify and evaluate structural defects in trees
• how to determine the density of tree sections
• safe working limits on all relevant rigging and lowering equipment
• methods of estimating mass and balance of load
• first aid and rescue personnel, equipment and procedures applicable to tree work
• methods of minimising environmental impact
• legislation and local regulations governing tree removal.

Assessment Conditions

Assessment must be demonstrated consistently over time in a suitable range of contexts and have a productivity-based outcome. No single assessment event or report is sufficient to achieve competency in this unit.

Assessment may be conducted in a simulated or real work environment, however determination of competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions.

The mandatory equipment and materials used to gather evidence for assessment include:

• equipment:

• rigging equipment
• single rope technique (SRT) climbing kit
• static and dynamic rope kit
• harness
• lowering and friction devices
• gaffs/spurs
• high decibel whistle
• personal protective equipment (PPE)
• first aid and emergency kit
• rescue kit
• traffic management kit
• signage – work zone
• trees

• materials:

• dismantling operations form
• chainsaw operations form
• pruning operations form
• knot identification form
• hazard identification and risk control form
• equipment and PPE check form
• emergency preparation form
• rescue form - aerial
• work communications form
• work site operations form
• work records form

Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs in the assessment of arboriculture units of competency.

Assessment must be conducted only by persons who have:

• arboriculture vocational competencies at least to the level being assessed
• current arboriculture industry skills directly relevant to the unit of competency being assessed

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=c6399549-9c62-4a5e-bf1a-524b2322cf72