Description

This unit specifies the outcomes required to assess, plan and safely carry out advanced tree falling operations. This unit is intended for use in situations where the production of timber is not the primary focus of the activity. Compliance with licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements may be required in various jurisdictions

Pre Requisites

Application

Performance Criteria

Required Skills & Knowledge

•     comply with legislation, regulations, standards, codes of practice and established safe practices and procedures relating to advanced tree falling operations
•     use and maintain relevant tools, machinery and equipment including chainsaws
•     identify problems and equipment faults and demonstrate appropriate response procedures
•     use appropriate communication and interpersonal techniques and methods with colleagues and others
•     accurately record and report workplace information, and maintain documentation
•     use hand signals with other operators to maintain effective and safe tree falling
•     recognise own limitations in assessing conditions and trees for falling
•     contribute to a tree assessment and plan and fall trees within the range of variables for trees and conditions including techniques for control of falling direction consistent with this range
•     recognise common diseases, pests and nutrition deficiencies
•     calculate slopes and weights in the metric system

•     applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements and codes of practice relevant to advanced tree falling operations
•     organisational and site standards, requirements, policies and procedures relating to advanced tree falling operations
•     principles of cultural diversity and access and equity
•     environmental protection requirements, including the safe disposal of waste material
•     established communication channels and protocols
•     problem identification and resolution
•     types of tools and equipment and procedures for their safe use, operation and maintenance
•     identification and evaluation of structural defects in trees
•     types and purposes of a range of cuts to fall trees
•     hazards of operating a chainsaw and falling trees
•     operational principles and limitations of a chainsaw
•     procedures for the recording, reporting and maintenance of workplace records and information
•     appropriate mathematical procedures for estimation and measurement

Range Statement

OHS requirements

are to be in accordance with Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation and regulations, and organisational safety policies and procedures. Requirements may include:    

•     the use of personal protective equipment and clothing
•     safety equipment
•     first aid equipment
•     fire fighting equipment
•     hazard and risk control
•     elimination of hazardous materials and substances
•     safe forest practices including required actions relating to forest fire
•     manual handling including shifting, lifting and carrying

Legislative requirements

are to be in accordance with applicable legislation from all levels of government that affect organisational operation. Requirements may include:    

•     award and enterprise agreements
•     industrial relations
•     Australian Standards
•     confidentiality and privacy
•     OHS
•     the environment
•     equal opportunity
•     anti-discrimination
•     relevant industry codes of practice
•     duty of care
•     heritage and traditional land owner issues

Organisational requirements    

•     may include legal, organisational and site guidelines, policies and procedures relating to own role and responsibility, quality assurance, procedural manuals, quality and continuous improvement processes and standards, OHS, emergency and evacuation, ethical standards, recording and reporting, access and equity principles and practices, equipment use, maintenance and storage, environmental management (waste disposal, recycling and re-use guidelines)

•     may require the use of multiple back-cuts and/or boring techniques and will be undertaken in all conditions for which it is safe including slopes up to the maximum allowed by relevant regulations

•     selected for falling include those of any size and condition that are determined can be safely fallen

•     may include noise, ground growth, canopy, general forest lean, wind speed and direction, fallen trees, density of trees, ground slope, soil and water protection, ground hazards, obstacles. Measures may also include contingencies for modifying operations during wet or other adverse weather conditions

•     is to include information and instructions relevant to tree falling operations including processing location details and trees to be felled and retained. Information may also include general environmental requirements, site plan and environmental features

•     may include warning signs, chainsaw and components, personal protective equipment and clothing, first aid equipment, maintenance requirements, fuel

•     of chainsaw and components may include sharpening and making adjustments as required

•     may include verbal and non-verbal language, constructive feedback, active listening, questioning to clarify and confirm understanding, use of positive, confident and cooperative language, use of language and concepts appropriate to individual social and cultural differences, control of tone of voice and body language, hand signals

•     may relate to ground growth, canopy, general forest lean, ground slope, ground hazards, wind speed and direction

•     may relate to job role and responsibilities, own competency level, industry requirements, own understanding of risk identification processes, own interpretation of legislation, regulations and procedures, complying with OHS requirements

•     may be required in situations where cuts made may lead to loss of control of tree in falling, to confirm and adjust cutting techniques in response to movement and condition of tree, to help clear trees that hang up during falling

•     of tree may cover size, weight distribution, lean, species, multi leaders, soundness of timber, growth characteristics and stresses

•     clearance may require the assistance from a dozer or other machine

Evidence Guide

•     Comply with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislative and regulatory requirements and codes of practice, including OHS, environmental and organisational policies and procedures, relevant to advanced tree falling operations
•     Comply with applicable licensing or certification requirements
•     Communicate effectively and work safely with others including maintaining an awareness of other personnel activity in the work area
•     Contribute to a tree assessment, plan and undertake advanced tree falling within the range of variables for trees and conditions
•     Visually assess trees and determine falling characteristics
•     Determine and plan falling sequence for individual trees
•     Select and maintain appropriate tools and equipment and recognise faults, problems or malfunctions
•     Safely operate and maintain a chainsaw

•     Competency is to be assessed in the workplace or realistically simulated workplace
•     Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints
•     Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge, other than confirmatory questions, will usually be conducted in an off-site context
•     Assessment is to comply with relevant regulatory or Australian Standards requirements
•     The following resources should be made available:
•     workplace location or simulated workplace
•     materials and equipment relevant to advanced tree falling operations
•     specifications and work instructions

•     Assessment must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the FPI05 Training Package
•     Assessment methods must confirm consistency and accuracy of performance (over time and in a range of workplace relevant contexts) together with application of underpinning knowledge
•     Assessment must be by direct observation of tasks, with questioning on underpinning knowledge and it must also reinforce the integration of key competencies
•     Assessment methods must confirm the ability to access and correctly interpret and apply the essential underpinning knowledge
•     Assessment may be applied under project-related conditions (real or simulated) and require evidence of process
•     Assessment must confirm a reasonable inference that competency is able not only to be satisfied under the particular circumstance, but is able to be transferred to other circumstances
•     Assessment may be in conjunction with assessment of other units of competency
•     The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate
•     Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality, gender or language backgrounds other than English
•     Where the participant has a disability, reasonable adjustment may be applied during assessment
•     Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role