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Evidence Guide: AHCARB303 - Perform pruning operations

Student: __________________________________________________

Signature: _________________________________________________

Tips for gathering evidence to demonstrate your skills

The important thing to remember when gathering evidence is that the more evidence the better - that is, the more evidence you gather to demonstrate your skills, the more confident an assessor can be that you have learned the skills not just at one point in time, but are continuing to apply and develop those skills (as opposed to just learning for the test!). Furthermore, one piece of evidence that you collect will not usualy demonstrate all the required criteria for a unit of competency, whereas multiple overlapping pieces of evidence will usually do the trick!

From the Wiki University

 

AHCARB303 - Perform pruning operations

What evidence can you provide to prove your understanding of each of the following citeria?

Prepare for pruning operations

  1. Determine location of above-and-below-ground services
  2. Undertake a site-specific risk assessment by identifying work health and safety hazards and assessing risk
  3. Receive pruning instructions from supervisor and clarify prior to undertaking work
  4. Confirm first aid, rescue personnel, equipment and procedures
  5. Communicate with work team during operations using voice, hand and whistle signals
Determine location of above-and-below-ground services

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Undertake a site-specific risk assessment by identifying work health and safety hazards and assessing risk

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Receive pruning instructions from supervisor and clarify prior to undertaking work

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Confirm first aid, rescue personnel, equipment and procedures

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Communicate with work team during operations using voice, hand and whistle signals

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Determine requirements of pruning work

  1. Identify and confirm location of tree to be pruned
  2. Inspect trees for access and work
  3. Determine type, extent and limit of pruning work in accordance with specifications, scope of works and client brief
  4. Maintain awareness of power line proximity, safe approach distances and clearances
Identify and confirm location of tree to be pruned

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inspect trees for access and work

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Determine type, extent and limit of pruning work in accordance with specifications, scope of works and client brief

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maintain awareness of power line proximity, safe approach distances and clearances

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Select and prepare tools and equipment

  1. Select appropriate tools and equipment for pruning
  2. Consider access and impact value of secateurs, handsaws, chainsaws and polesaws
  3. Carry out pre-operational and safety checks on pruning tools and equipment
  4. Select and use personal protective equipment
  5. Sterilise pruning equipment in between individual tree work in accordance with hygiene and biosecurity considerations
  6. Record and implement work health, safety, site, environmental and traffic control measures
Select appropriate tools and equipment for pruning

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consider access and impact value of secateurs, handsaws, chainsaws and polesaws

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carry out pre-operational and safety checks on pruning tools and equipment

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Select and use personal protective equipment

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sterilise pruning equipment in between individual tree work in accordance with hygiene and biosecurity considerations

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Record and implement work health, safety, site, environmental and traffic control measures

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Determine tree part to be removed

  1. Investigate stem bark ridge, old cuts, dead branches and occluded and occluding branches
  2. Determine separate parts to be a branch or co-dominant stem in relation to tree anatomy and branch attachment
  3. Determine the part requiring removal to be a branch or co-dominant stem to select the appropriate pruning procedure
Investigate stem bark ridge, old cuts, dead branches and occluded and occluding branches

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Determine separate parts to be a branch or co-dominant stem in relation to tree anatomy and branch attachment

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Determine the part requiring removal to be a branch or co-dominant stem to select the appropriate pruning procedure

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carry out branch pruning operations

  1. Use sharp pruning tools to make clean cuts
  2. Operate chainsaws and polesaws as required to implement pruning cuts to the standards required by AS 4373
  3. Apply compartmentalisation of decay in tree (CODIT) principles
  4. Pre-cut or undercut branches to avoid splitting or tearing
  5. Remove remaining stub with final cut
  6. Observe final cut procedure for branch removal cutting as close as possible to the branch collar without cutting into the branch collar or leaving a protruding stub.
  7. Use branch bark ridge to determine angle of cut when removing a branch in the absence of a visible collar
  8. Ensure bark at edge of all branch pruning cuts remains firmly attached
Use sharp pruning tools to make clean cuts

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operate chainsaws and polesaws as required to implement pruning cuts to the standards required by AS 4373

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apply compartmentalisation of decay in tree (CODIT) principles

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pre-cut or undercut branches to avoid splitting or tearing

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remove remaining stub with final cut

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Observe final cut procedure for branch removal cutting as close as possible to the branch collar without cutting into the branch collar or leaving a protruding stub.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use branch bark ridge to determine angle of cut when removing a branch in the absence of a visible collar

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ensure bark at edge of all branch pruning cuts remains firmly attached

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carry out reduction pruning

  1. Use branch bark ridge as guide to angle and position of final cut when making reduction cuts
  2. Ensure lateral branch to which the final cut is made, is at least one third of diameter of branch being reduced at point of final cut.
Use branch bark ridge as guide to angle and position of final cut when making reduction cuts

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ensure lateral branch to which the final cut is made, is at least one third of diameter of branch being reduced at point of final cut.

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carry out stem pruning operations

  1. Use stem bark ridge to determine angle of cut when removing a co-dominant stem
  2. Be guided to position and angle of final cut, by positions and angles of joins between tissue of declining or dead stems and those of healthy stems elsewhere in tree
  3. Ensure bark at edge of all stem pruning cuts remains firmly attached
Use stem bark ridge to determine angle of cut when removing a co-dominant stem

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Be guided to position and angle of final cut, by positions and angles of joins between tissue of declining or dead stems and those of healthy stems elsewhere in tree

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ensure bark at edge of all stem pruning cuts remains firmly attached

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Improve pruning quality

  1. Inspect past pruning cuts to determine tree response
  2. Use tree response to assess the quality of past pruning cuts
  3. Seek feedback on pruning from other arborists
  4. Identify and rectify incorrect pruning cuts
  5. Modify future pruning cuts based on tree responses and feedback from others
Inspect past pruning cuts to determine tree response

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use tree response to assess the quality of past pruning cuts

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seek feedback on pruning from other arborists

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Identify and rectify incorrect pruning cuts

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Modify future pruning cuts based on tree responses and feedback from others

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Complete pruning operations

  1. Drop pruning material into designated drop zone
  2. Clean, maintain and store tools and equipment
  3. Collect and dispose of, or recycle pruned material in a manner that causes minimal environmental damage
  4. Maintain workplace records
Drop pruning material into designated drop zone

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clean, maintain and store tools and equipment

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collect and dispose of, or recycle pruned material in a manner that causes minimal environmental damage

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maintain workplace records

Completed
Date:

Teacher:
Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessed

Teacher: ___________________________________ Date: _________

Signature: ________________________________________________

Comments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instructions to Assessors

Evidence Guide

Element

Performance criteria

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Prepare for pruning operations

1.1 Determine location of above-and-below-ground services

1.2 Undertake a site-specific risk assessment by identifying work health and safety hazards and assessing risk

1.3 Receive pruning instructions from supervisor and clarify prior to undertaking work

1.4 Confirm first aid, rescue personnel, equipment and procedures

1.5 Communicate with work team during operations using voice, hand and whistle signals

2. Determine requirements of pruning work

2.1 Identify and confirm location of tree to be pruned

2.2 Inspect trees for access and work

2.3 Determine type, extent and limit of pruning work in accordance with specifications, scope of works and client brief

2.4 Maintain awareness of power line proximity, safe approach distances and clearances

3. Select and prepare tools and equipment

3.1 Select appropriate tools and equipment for pruning

3.2 Consider access and impact value of secateurs, handsaws, chainsaws and polesaws

3.3 Carry out pre-operational and safety checks on pruning tools and equipment

3.4 Select and use personal protective equipment

3.5 Sterilise pruning equipment in between individual tree work in accordance with hygiene and biosecurity considerations

3.6 Record and implement work health, safety, site, environmental and traffic control measures

4. Determine tree part to be removed

4.1 Investigate stem bark ridge, old cuts, dead branches and occluded and occluding branches

4.2 Determine separate parts to be a branch or co-dominant stem in relation to tree anatomy and branch attachment

4.3 Determine the part requiring removal to be a branch or co-dominant stem to select the appropriate pruning procedure

5. Carry out branch pruning operations

5.1 Use sharp pruning tools to make clean cuts

5.2 Operate chainsaws and polesaws as required to implement pruning cuts to the standards required by AS 4373

5.3 Apply compartmentalisation of decay in tree (CODIT) principles

5.4 Pre-cut or undercut branches to avoid splitting or tearing

5.5 Remove remaining stub with final cut

5.6 Observe final cut procedure for branch removal cutting as close as possible to the branch collar without cutting into the branch collar or leaving a protruding stub.

5.7 Use branch bark ridge to determine angle of cut when removing a branch in the absence of a visible collar

5.8 Ensure bark at edge of all branch pruning cuts remains firmly attached

6. Carry out reduction pruning

6.1 Use branch bark ridge as guide to angle and position of final cut when making reduction cuts

6.2 Ensure lateral branch to which the final cut is made, is at least one third of diameter of branch being reduced at point of final cut.

7. Carry out stem pruning operations

7.1 Use stem bark ridge to determine angle of cut when removing a co-dominant stem

7.2 Be guided to position and angle of final cut, by positions and angles of joins between tissue of declining or dead stems and those of healthy stems elsewhere in tree

7.3 Ensure bark at edge of all stem pruning cuts remains firmly attached

8. Improve pruning quality

8.1 Inspect past pruning cuts to determine tree response

8.2 Use tree response to assess the quality of past pruning cuts

8.3 Seek feedback on pruning from other arborists

8.4 Identify and rectify incorrect pruning cuts

8.5 Modify future pruning cuts based on tree responses and feedback from others

9. Complete pruning operations

9.1 Drop pruning material into designated drop zone

9.2 Clean, maintain and store tools and equipment

9.3 Collect and dispose of, or recycle pruned material in a manner that causes minimal environmental damage

9.4 Maintain workplace records

Required Skills and Knowledge

Element

Performance criteria

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Prepare for pruning operations

1.1 Determine location of above-and-below-ground services

1.2 Undertake a site-specific risk assessment by identifying work health and safety hazards and assessing risk

1.3 Receive pruning instructions from supervisor and clarify prior to undertaking work

1.4 Confirm first aid, rescue personnel, equipment and procedures

1.5 Communicate with work team during operations using voice, hand and whistle signals

2. Determine requirements of pruning work

2.1 Identify and confirm location of tree to be pruned

2.2 Inspect trees for access and work

2.3 Determine type, extent and limit of pruning work in accordance with specifications, scope of works and client brief

2.4 Maintain awareness of power line proximity, safe approach distances and clearances

3. Select and prepare tools and equipment

3.1 Select appropriate tools and equipment for pruning

3.2 Consider access and impact value of secateurs, handsaws, chainsaws and polesaws

3.3 Carry out pre-operational and safety checks on pruning tools and equipment

3.4 Select and use personal protective equipment

3.5 Sterilise pruning equipment in between individual tree work in accordance with hygiene and biosecurity considerations

3.6 Record and implement work health, safety, site, environmental and traffic control measures

4. Determine tree part to be removed

4.1 Investigate stem bark ridge, old cuts, dead branches and occluded and occluding branches

4.2 Determine separate parts to be a branch or co-dominant stem in relation to tree anatomy and branch attachment

4.3 Determine the part requiring removal to be a branch or co-dominant stem to select the appropriate pruning procedure

5. Carry out branch pruning operations

5.1 Use sharp pruning tools to make clean cuts

5.2 Operate chainsaws and polesaws as required to implement pruning cuts to the standards required by AS 4373

5.3 Apply compartmentalisation of decay in tree (CODIT) principles

5.4 Pre-cut or undercut branches to avoid splitting or tearing

5.5 Remove remaining stub with final cut

5.6 Observe final cut procedure for branch removal cutting as close as possible to the branch collar without cutting into the branch collar or leaving a protruding stub.

5.7 Use branch bark ridge to determine angle of cut when removing a branch in the absence of a visible collar

5.8 Ensure bark at edge of all branch pruning cuts remains firmly attached

6. Carry out reduction pruning

6.1 Use branch bark ridge as guide to angle and position of final cut when making reduction cuts

6.2 Ensure lateral branch to which the final cut is made, is at least one third of diameter of branch being reduced at point of final cut.

7. Carry out stem pruning operations

7.1 Use stem bark ridge to determine angle of cut when removing a co-dominant stem

7.2 Be guided to position and angle of final cut, by positions and angles of joins between tissue of declining or dead stems and those of healthy stems elsewhere in tree

7.3 Ensure bark at edge of all stem pruning cuts remains firmly attached

8. Improve pruning quality

8.1 Inspect past pruning cuts to determine tree response

8.2 Use tree response to assess the quality of past pruning cuts

8.3 Seek feedback on pruning from other arborists

8.4 Identify and rectify incorrect pruning cuts

8.5 Modify future pruning cuts based on tree responses and feedback from others

9. Complete pruning operations

9.1 Drop pruning material into designated drop zone

9.2 Clean, maintain and store tools and equipment

9.3 Collect and dispose of, or recycle pruned material in a manner that causes minimal environmental damage

9.4 Maintain workplace records

The candidate must perform the remedial and corrective pruning operations involved in branch pruning, reduction pruning and stem pruning. The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.

The candidate must provide evidence for and demonstrate:

determining location of above-and-below-ground services

undertaking a site-specific risk assessment by identifying work health and safety hazards and assessing risk

receiving pruning instructions from supervisor and clarifying prior to undertaking work

communicating with work team during operations using voice, hand and whistle signals

confirming first aid, rescue equipment and rescue procedures applicable to tree work

identifying location of tree to be pruned

inspecting trees for access and work

determining type extent and limit of pruning work in accordance with the specifications, scope of works or client brief

maintaining awareness of power line proximity, safe approach distances and clearances

selecting appropriate tools and equipment for pruning

considering access and impact value of secateurs, handsaws, chainsaws and polesaws

selecting, preparing, and carrying out pre-operational and safety checks, on tools, equipment and machinery

selecting and using personal protective equipment

sterilising pruning equipment in between work on individual trees in accordance with hygiene and biosecurity considerations

recording and implementing work health, safety, site, environmental and traffic control measures

investigating stem bark ridge, old cuts, dead branches and occluded and occluding branches

determining the separate parts to be a branch or co-dominant stem in relation to the tree anatomy and branch attachment

determining the part requiring removal to be a branch or a co-dominant stem

using sharp pruning tools to make clean cuts

operating chainsaws and polesaws

implementing pruning cuts to the standards required by AS 4373

applying compartmentalisation of decay in tree (CODIT) principles

pre-cutting or undercutting branches to avoid splitting or tearing

removing remaining stub with final cut

observing final cut procedure for branch removal for cutting as close as possible to the branch collar without cutting into the branch collar or leaving a protruding stub.

using branch bark ridge to determine angle of cut when removing a branch in the absence of a visible collar

ensuring bark at edge of all branch pruning cuts remains firmly attached

using the branch bark ridge as a guide to the angle and position of the final cut when making reduction cuts

ensuring the lateral branch to which the final cut is made, is at least one third of the diameter of the branch being reduced at the point of the final cut.

using the stem bark ridge to determine the angle of cut when removing a co-dominant stem

being guided to the position and angle of the final cut, by positions and angles of joins between tissue of declining or dead stems and those of healthy stems elsewhere in tree

ensuring bark at edge of all stem pruning cuts remains firmly attached

inspecting past pruning cuts to determine tree response

using tree response to assess the quality of past pruning cuts

seeking feedback on pruning from other arborists

identifying and rectifying incorrect pruning cuts

modifying future pruning cuts based on tree responses and feedback from others

dropping pruning material into designated drop zone

cleaning, maintaining and storing tools and equipment

collecting and disposing of, or recycling pruned material in a manner that causes minimal environmental damage

maintaining workplace records

use of industry-standard terminology to describe arboriculture and the work environment.

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:

risk assessment

visual tree assessment

tree health, growth habit, structure, stability and growing environment

first aid

operation of chainsaws and polesaws

tree and branch anatomy and attachments: lateral branch collars, branch bark ridges, stem bark ridges

pruning cuts to the standards required by AS 4373

reduction cuts

tree response to pruning

correct and incorrect pruning cuts

rectifying cuts

pruning hygiene

biosecurity

communications using voice, hand and whistle signals

power line proximity, safe approach distances and clearances

rescue personnel, equipment and procedures applicable to tree work

interpreting specifications

maintaining workplace records

disposal of plant debris in environmentally aware and sensitive manner

work health and safety procedures for pruning operations.

Range Statement