Certification update, Safety alerts, Vaccination resources, New Conference date

Fiona’s blog

We’re progressing a number of changes to Safetree Certification aimed at making the scheme more robust and responsive to industry needs.

These changes include moving to a new online system for registering information, which will be run by EcoPortal, and will be up and running in early 2022. In the meantime, if you want to:

  • Request a field audit, please contact Lee Perry hlservicesnz@gmail.com
  • Upload insurance documents, please email them directly to safetree@bravegen.com.

We are also developing the framework for a tiered certification scheme to provide ‘stretch’ goals for businesses with more mature health and safety systems and practices.  The new EcoPortal online system will also allow for additional modules to be added in future.

To ensure a robust model, the FISC Council will be directly responsible for governance of the certification scheme, rather than having a separate Certification Panel.

FISC will operate certification and two full-time positions will be created to manage the scheme and its auditors. This will support the scheme to grow and develop. It will ensure better consistency around the application of audits, and will deliver economies of scale through more efficient planning of audits.

Resources will also be provided to promote Certification and to increase communications with certified contractors and others.

I want to thank everyone involved in the Safetree Certification Review TAG, who worked on reviewing the scheme and came up with these recommendations for improvements.

Vaccination voucher winners

On the 18th and 19th of October NZFM partnered with Pihanga Heath and Tūwharetoa Health to encourage vaccinations for their crews, whānau and community. It was a very successful event with 48 vaccinations given over morning and afternoon clinics in Tūrangi and Waitahanui.

$500 prizes sponsored by Binky Ellis, Chair of Lake Taupo Forest Trust, were won by the Waitahanui community (for the largest whānau vaccinated) and the Dean Anderson crew (for the largest crew vaccinated). $100 prizes sponsored by Safetree were won by Sharon’s whānau of Waitahanui and Quintin Sweet’s crew.

Everyone vaccinated received a $20 Pak’n’Save or New World voucher and a hot or cold drink. Well-done to everyone involved in organising, sponsoring and taking part in this event.

Vaccination resources

Here are some vaccination-related resources that might be useful:

Safety resources

See these new Safety Alerts from PF Olsen and Timberlands. If your organisation has lessons to share from an incident or from something that went well, please get in touch with us as sharing this information is a great way for other people to learn.

Our Tree Faller’s Logbook is now available on the Safetree website. This can be used by manual fallers to record activity and experience.

New dates for Safetree Conference

We are pleased to confirm that a new date of 16 June 2022 has been set for our conference, which had to be postponed due to Covid. The conference venue and programme remain unchanged. See details here.

The FICA conference will run on the following 2 days, 17 and 18 June.

Anyone already registered for these conferences will automatically have their registration transferred over to the new dates. However, you will need to rebook your own accommodation. For those staying at the venue for the conference, the Millennium Hotel, you can use the code FICA22 to access the conference discount.

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