In Belgium every year dozens of chainsaw related accidents lead to heavy injuries or even fatalities. Evidence based figures do not exist, but both experienced chainsaw operators and occasional chainsaw users are involved in these accidents. Not only in Belgium, but also in Europe and the rest of the world similar chainsaw related accidents occur frequently.
“Reducing chainsaw accidents in tree work" was an important issue at the International Congress of Forestry Training Centres held in Annecy (2007) in a Europe wide context. This led to a conference in Brussels on June 19th and 20th 2008 organised and supported by Inverde vzw, IPC Groene Ruimte, the European Network of Forest Entrepreneurs (ENFE), and the Joint FAO/ECE/ILO Experts Network. The purpose of the event was to bring together all stakeholders that use chainsaws to discuss the possible development of a European Standard in Chainsaw Qualification.
In February 2009 a project proposal was submitted to the Leonardo da Vinci programme to obtain funding for setting up the project “Evaluation and implementation of chainsaw operators’ certification"
The intention of this project is to make an operational European chainsaw certification system. In the project we will set the standards and develop a scheme for examination procedures that are applicable in every European country and are supported by the industry and the forestry and arboriculture sector.
An independent European competence assessment for chainsaw operators currently does not exist. It does exist however on a national level in the UK. The training standards for chainsaw use are different in every country and every country has its own language and specific requirements. So the training and examination concept is not simply transferable from one country to another. After analysis and comparison of training programmes in European countries where national training standards do not exist today, common European chainsaw standards will be set. These will be based on the UK-standards, but adapted to suit the needs of the other partners.
Quality training standards and an independent competence assessment will lead to a reduced number of accidents and fatalities of chainsaw operators throughout Europe. Another valuable output will be the increased mobility across Europe for chainsaw operators, which will benefit both forest/tree workers and contractors.
Target groups in this project are foresters, arborists and landscaping contractors but also other craft workers (eg. construction workers) that use chainsaws professionally.
For more information, please contact Alexandra Mannaert +32 (0)2 658 24 93 or go to www.europeanchainsaw.eu
