Unit of competency

Modification History

Application

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to access trees for inspection. It does not describe the skills and knowledge required to access trees to conduct arboricultural work, tree pruning or removal.

The unit applies to individuals who work under broad direction and take responsibility for their own work. They use discretion and judgement in the selection, allocation and use of available resources and for solving problems.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Pre-requisite Unit

Nil

Unit Sector

Arboriculture (ARB)

Elements and Performance Criteria

Foundation Skills

This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential for performance in this unit of competency but are not explicit in the performance criteria.

Unit Mapping Information

Links

Companion Volumes, including Implementation Guides, are available at VETNet: - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=c6399549-9c62-4a5e-bf1a-524b2322cf72

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Performance Evidence

An individual demonstrating competency must satisfy all of the elements and performance criteria in this unit.

There must be evidence that the individual has used climbing techniques to access at least 2 structurally different trees, including:

• confirmed access to site and scope of works
• identified workplace health, safety and environmental hazards and completed a job safety analysis (JSA) or safe work method statement (SWMS) for the site and activities
• confirmed availability of first aid and rescue personnel, equipment and procedures
• conducted pre-operational safety checks, on ropes, harnesses, tools and equipment
• selected and used personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety equipment during works
• inspected tree and discussed with work team to determine a safe and efficient access route
• selected and prepared climbing equipment for accessing tree
• ascended, navigated though and descended tree canopy using harness and lanyard and safe anchor points, following safe climbing techniques, including:

• moving rope with prusik technique
• trunk walking technique
• use of foot ascenders

• tied, dressed, set and finished the following climbing knots and hitches, including:

• alpine butterfly
• blake's hitch
• scaffold knot
• double fisherman's bend/prusik loop
• girth hitch
• English prusik hitch
• marlinspike hitch
• munter hitch
• clove hitch
• double-overhand stopper knot
• bowline
• running bowline

• communicated with work team during operations using agreed communication procedures
• maintained safe clearances from power lines
• removed all access equipment in a controlled manner on descend from tree
• inspected, cleaned, maintained and stored climbing and personal protective equipment according to manufacturer instructions.

Knowledge Evidence

An individual must be able to demonstrate the knowledge required to perform the tasks outlined in the elements and performance criteria of this unit. This includes knowledge of:

• assessing and selecting different methods for climbing trees
• workplace health, safety, site, environmental and traffic control measures, including:

• completing JSAs and SWMS for site-specific risks
• purpose of first aid and rescue personnel, equipment and procedures
• pre-operational and safety checks, on ropes, harnesses, tools and equipment
• PPE used when climbing

• inspection, use and maintenance of arborist climbing equipment, including:

• ropes and their characteristics
• rope type, construction and materials
• rope inspection and failure conditions
• uses of climbing ropes
• triple-locking carabiners
• climbing hardware

• purpose, function, selection, tying, dressing, setting, checking and finishing of arborist knots used for climbing techniques
• safety when climbing trees, including:

• safe working limits of ropes and equipment
• defects in ropes, tools and equipment
• climbing harnesses and lanyards

• hazards to avoid when climbing within the tree canopy, including:

• safe distances from electrical power lines
• tree structural defects
• the presence of insects or other animals
• deciding on low-risk access routes

• environmental impacts of tree access methods, including:

• potential impact on tree of various climbing methods
• impact on animal habitat or food source

• communications strategies used when climbing with a work team, including:

• voice
• hand
• electronic communications

• climbing techniques using ropes and harnesses, including:

• moving rope with prusik technique
• trunk walking
• foot ascenders
• safe transitions between points of attachment
• low-risk anchor points
• controlled descent operations

• controlled removal of access equipment
• procedures for inspecting, cleaning, maintaining and storing climbing equipment.

Assessment Conditions

Assessment of the skills in this unit of competency must take place under the following conditions:

• physical conditions:

• two trees with different canopy structures as stipulated in the performance evidence

• resources, equipment and materials:

• standard climbing kit
• harness
• arborist communications equipment
• personal protective equipment
• first aid and emergency response equipment

• specifications:

• workplace and manufacturer instructions for safe operation, cleaning and storage of the equipment specified in the assessment conditions

• relationships:

• work team.

Assessors of this unit must satisfy the requirements for assessors in applicable vocational education and training legislation, frameworks and/or standards. In particular, assessors must 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 Volumes, including Implementation Guides, are available at VETNet: - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=c6399549-9c62-4a5e-bf1a-524b2322cf72