utility arborists-ireland

New potential ABA-Utility Arboriculture trainers & assessors recently completed an intense weeks training in Ireland. Topics included electrical hazards and network familiarisation, tree species identification, ground-based and aerial operation techniques etc. Site visits and brainstorming session teams also worked on the developing International/European standards developments. Future events are planned to take the next steps and pilot test the new qualifications.

EU-ARB PROJECT

A new Erasmus + funded EU-ARB project supported by ABA International has officially got underway following a recent start-up meeting held by European partners. This new project has been designed to the meet the needs of arborists involved within high risk Utility Arboriculture (UA) activities particularly within energy sectors of industry responsible for vegetation/tree management across Europe. An industry expert group is currently being formed and will lead a number of research and technical events planned to be held in Ireland, Czech Republic, Latvia the United Kingdom and a number of other locations during 2019.

For more information or to follow the project see the project facebook page

Game Changer update

Partners of the European project-Game Changer in association with ABA International held another successful meeting recently in Brno, Czech Republic. The project has been gaining further momentum since the implementation of a pilot testing phase in January 2018. It is led by the ABA Centre from Hungary-Pandokrator & aims to develop and improve individual’s skills as part of a key objective. Training is currently being undertaken in:

• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Greece
• Hungary

More information can be found at gamechangerproject.eu

international meeting-HUNGARY

An ABA International meeting was held in Budapest-Hungary during 2017 and hosted by ABA Qualification Centre-Pandokrator. New developments and an overview of the continuing progress of ABA was presented which included:

• Increased membership & qualification centres
• New high quality occupational safety standards
• Continuing success of the International/European Chainsaw Certification (ICC/ECC) & ICC/ECC at Heights
• Progress with the new European Tree Climbing Certification 

The Vet-Safety project was also presented and the current status of the new International/European safety standards for work at heights discussed. Innovative research work included new information on forestry sector accident analysis in Spain and collaborative occupational safety & health research reports submitted from ABA partner organisations.

40 Assessors, 3 Continents

ABA Skills Instructors & Assessors from Europe, Asia and Australia recently completed a busy week of training, assessment and verifications demonstrating international standards in a range of forestry & arborist skills. 40 assessors participated during the five day event hosted by ABA Qualification Centre (University of Mendel), Brno, Czech Republic.

In addition, the Vet-Safety project team participated and made further progress on a review of the new International/European standards for the safe use of chainsaws at heights which aim to increase operator safety in this hazardous work environment.

FORESTRY SKILLS-ROMANIA

ABA partners and the Vet-Safety project team combined their skills at the recent event hosted by Transilvania University of Brasov. Experienced ABA skills verifiers and mentors supported the training & assessment of ground-based chainsaw (ICC/ECC) operators and instructors. Consolidation of previous skills & refining of techniques used in practice included assessment of theoretical knowledge during the workshop sessions.

In addition, further work supported the continuous development of the Erasmus + Vet-Safety project on work at height safety which includes the use of chainsaws. The ICC/ECC standards for work at heights have made great progress with a new safety level developed and due for release at the next joint ABA/Vet-Safety event to be held in Czech Republic during June 2017.