Safety FAQ's
Despite primarily being a volunteer organisation Scouts NSW is subject to the requirements of the Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act 2011. Within this legislation there are a number of duties which Scouts NSW must discharge, the primary one of which is our Duty of Care*. In the event that Scouts NSW fails to satisfy this Duty, such that someone to whom we owe this Duty is hurt we could be prosecuted by SafeWork.
Under our Duty of Care, Scouts NSW must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the health and safety of our members, supporters, employees and members of the public who partake in Scouting activities, or use our facilities, are not put at risk as a result of what we do or omit to do.
To satisfy this duty Scouts NSW must, at all times, operate in a safe way, meaning we need to understand the risks to which we are exposed, be competent to undertake the task at hand, have the necessary safety measures in place and operate in accordance with the requirements of our systems and procedures.
*WHS Act 2011: Division 2 Primary duty of care
Scouts NSW has prohibited the felling of trees by members, supporters and employees.
Scouts NSW has a Duty of Care for the ongoing safety of our members, supporters and employees. This Duty of Care extends to all activities Scouts NSW undertakes and all environments in which Scouts NSW operates, meaning that the safety of our members, supporters and employees extends beyond Scouts NSW premises.
Scouts NSW has prohibited the felling of trees by members, supporters and employees.
Where there is a requirement to remove trees from Scouts NSW premises the services of an arborist/tree removal company professionally qualified in the removal of trees must be used.
If the Scouting activity is occurring on a non-Scouts NSW’s premises, contact the owner of the premises and ask whether they are able to remove the tree so that your activity can be undertaken safely. In the event that the tree cannot be removed consider whether the activity can be relocated to another part of the activity site. Where this can be achieved set up an exclusion zone around the tree to prevent access by participants. Make sure that everyone is briefed as to why the exclusion zone exists. In the event that the activity cannot be relocated, consideration must be given as to whether the activity should be cancelled. This will be an integral part of the risk assessment undertaken for the activity/event.
Scouts NSW has a Duty of Care for the ongoing safety of our members, supporters and employees. This Duty of Care extends to all activities Scouts NSW undertakes and all environments in which Scouts NSW operates, meaning that the safety of our members, supporters and employees extends beyond Scouts NSW premises.
A chainsaw can be used to cut firewood provided that the person cutting the firewood is a competent (see below) and suitably equipped member of Scouts NSW. Prior to cutting any firewood a risk assessment must be undertaken and a safe system of work put in place.
To demonstrate competence Scouts NSW requires members to have attained the following units of competence or their equivalent as defined at training.gov.au:
- FWPCOT2256 Trim and Cut Felled trees
- FWPCOT2254 Maintain Chainsaws
For members who have attained these units of competence email a copy of your Vocational Education and Training (VET) transcript to Training Services ([email protected]).
The following units of competence as defined at training.gov.au are required to be able to use a chainsaw with Scouts NSW.
- FWPCOT2256 Trim and Cut Felled trees
- FWPCOT2254 Maintain Chainsaws
For members who have attained these units of competence email a copy of your Vocational Education and Training (VET) transcript to Training Services ([email protected]).
Scouts NSW is unable to deliver or assess chainsaw training as the two units of competence (FWPCOT2256 Trim and Cut Felled trees and FWPCOT2254 Maintain Chainsaws) are not within the organisation’s scope as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO).
There are a number of providers in NSW (both Metropolitan and Regional) who provide courses that deliver the two defined units of competence. A google search on “chainsaw training courses NSW” should be able to identify a suitable course.
Scouts NSW is unable to assess chainsaw competence as this is not covered by the organisation’s scope as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). As such, the Scouts NSW training team is unable to undertake RPL for chainsaw competence.
When considering what constitutes a tree, people will generally have different views/opinions as to how big it is and whether it should be classified as a tree, a sapling, or anything in between. Taking a purely prescriptive approach as to what defines a tree is not necessarily helpful and may not be appropriate for the different scenarios that people may encounter. That said, please consider the following when determining what course of action to take.
- Would I use a chainsaw to fell this tree? If yes, it is a tree. Do not cut it down.
- Could I get hurt if this tree fell on me or anyone I am with? If yes, it is a tree. Do not cut it down
- Is the tree taller than me? It might be considered to be a tree
- Is the tree smaller than me? It is less likely to be considered a tree
For points 3 and 4, what are the risks associated with its removal? What tools am I going to use (not a chainsaw) and do I have appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)? If all of this is documented in a risk assessment and the outcome is that the task can be undertaken safely, whether somebody calls it a tree, sapling or anything in between, it is OK to remove it.
Notwithstanding the above, we must always consider the environmental impact of what we do. As Scouts we care for the environment and this means that we care for plants, animals and their habitats. If removing a tree, sapling, or anything in between is going to upset this balance then we should not be doing it.
If you are going to use a chainsaw to cut the branches off then the answer is no. Beyond this you will need to asses the risks to determine whether it is safe to do so. Please consider the following when determining what course of action to take.
- Do I need to climb the tree to cut the branch? If yes, do not cut the branch off.
- Could I get hurt if this branch fell on me or anyone I am with? If yes, do not cut the branch off
What are the risks associated with the branch’s removal? What tools am I going to use (not a chainsaw) and do I have appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)? If all of this is documented in a risk assessment and the outcome is that the branch can be removed safely, it is OK to remove it.
Scouts NSW has prohibited the felling of trees by members, supporters and employees.
The Scouts NSW Safety Notice (Felling Trees) only extends to members, supporter and employees when undertaking Scouts NSW business.
