Tree Surgeon - Operational Highways

Temporary Tree Surgeon - Operational Highways

Reference no: Leicestershire TCL 0008 3095 / 1

Pay Rate: £13.70 per hour PAYE

Hours per week: 40 Monday – Friday, normal working hours

This opening assignment is for 1-2 months

City: LEICESTER

To work as part of a team to deliver a best value, customer-focussed service throughout Leicestershire and occasionally, surrounding counties. You will provide a comprehensive and professional arboriculture service for all trees under the jurisdiction of the Council and other clients in the private sector in the County of Leicestershire and surrounding counties.

Activities included in this job specification are: Tree surgery and felling; Planting and maintenance; Hedge layering; Planting schemes.

Key Responsibilities

• • Tree surgery including crown lifting, dead wooding, crown reductions, bracing and tree felling
  • Occasional activities relating to young tree and shrub maintenance; tree and shrub planting; public rights of way maintenance; hedge layering; planting schemes of various sizes and maintenance work
  • Drive/operate specialist plant to perform all highways operations, and use equipment relating to arboriculture work (wood chippers ,chainsaws, polesaws etc ) to meet contractual requirements
  • Carry out daily routine maintenance to appropriate vehicle and plant, complying with relevant legislation (e.g driver’s hours regulations, European Drivers Regulations, safe loads and weights) to ensure safe and continued use. Additional knowledge of LOLER and PUWER checks are required for this operation to ensure the equipment meets the required specification.
  • Attend, and where directed, support Highways operatives responding to daytime emergencies during environmental incidents such as storms, high winds to clear and/or make safe the public highway
  • Carry out extensive maintenance to all arboriculture equipment to enable their safe and continued use
  • Use appropriate equipment and procedures to detect and locate underground services to protect operatives and prevent damage to apparatus.
  • Be responsible for the management of the Arboriculture Audits and Assessments whilst on site (full assessment of rigging, tree surgery, crown reduction every 4 years, with interim assessments every two years)
• Carry out arboriculture practices to comply with the standards as laid down in the Arboriculture Practices Standard BS3998 2010
• Abide by the Industry Code of Practice for Arboriculture – specifically relating to Working at Height Operations, including pruning and free fall dismantling, rigging, crane, MEWP and ladders. Carry out safe and effective aerial rescue operations both drills and on live sites
• Recognise, comply with, and manage onsite any bio-security issues which may arise (e.g. Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (Chalara Ash Die Back) therefore reducing the spread of common pathogens, pests, diseases and disorders which may cause harm to the environment and/or neighbouring trees.
Support the Supervisor or Site Team Leader by:
• • Ensuring the efficient delivery of the programme of tree surgery and maintenance of Leicestershire Highway Trees. Assuming responsibility as the senior operative by grade or as requested when working with other operatives on the same grade, for ensuring the correct observance of Health and Safety directives with regards to personal protective equipment, application of Temporary Traffic Management requirements and the safe lifting and handling of materials and plant on site
  • Ensuring daily performance targets are met, raising any issues in a timely manner with the Supervisor or Site Team Leader
  • Taking the lead when working with temporary staff, to explain the requirements of the job, answer, or escalate to the Supervisor or Site Team Leader any queries and ensure they are made to feel part of the team
  • Maintain a safe working environment for the general public whilst carrying out work (i.e. creating a safety zone by road closures, diversions, two way traffic lights or manual traffic control), directing the public in accordance with Chapter 8 Traffic Regulations and arboriculture guidance notes in order for Operations Highways to satisfy all necessary contractual and legislative requirements.
• Comply with guidelines relating to methods of work and health and safety matters, and report any arboriculture and safety matters to the Supervisor in order for them to make informed decisions on future action, including the production of site specific risk assessments and adherence to any method statements provided
• Assist with organisation of gang structure on a daily basis and complete the allocated work instructions in order to maintain profitability and efficiency.
• Record and comply with all necessary paperwork in order to maintain and conform to all contractual and legislative procedures.
• Comply with all Health and Safety legislation, Traffic Management requirements and Operational Highways safety and quality procedures to ensure personal safety and that of colleagues and the general public. To comply with all Quality Management Systems, quality procedures and working practices

NB: Please feel free to apply to us direct via jobs@tclrec.com by quoting the job reference and job title exactly.

To help speed up the process of uploading your CV to the client we would suggest that you send us your CV in Word format (or equivalent) if possible, rather than as a PDF

If you are successful in securing this role, please note that for the entire duration of this contract, regardless of extension you will be working this role at the PAYE rate that has been advertised. For absolute clarity, we only work on a PAYE basis, rather than entertaining umbrella pay terms, we do not offer Ltd/umbrella or outside IR35 rates. If you wish to understand PAYE vs Umbrella more, please let us know and we can send you some additional information for clarity.

Other “Essential Requirements” – Please check to ensure that your CV addresses the following items:

Qualifications:

• National Highways Sector Scheme 12D
• National recognised Certificate in Arboriculture / Horticulture.
• Pesticides Application Certificate PA1 & PA6.
• Valid Driving Licence
Relevant NPTC, (‘CS’) Units including:
• • Maintain & Operate Chainsaw
  • Tree Felling
  • Tree climbing
  • Use of Chainsaw from rope & harness
  • Conduct Ariel rescue

Knowledge:

• Extensive knowledge of forestry and arboriculture specifications, materials, and workmanship requirements.
• Extensive knowledge of the primary identification of tree species, including Visual Tree Assessment (VTA) to assess the general condition of the tree, and understand basic fungal brackets.
• Extensive knowledge of safe working practices when using plant and machinery
• Knowledge of legislation including driver’s hours, PPE and manual handling
• Aerial Rescue procedures.
• Chapter 8 Traffic Management Regulations
• RIDDOR RegulationsNoise at Work Regulations
• Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 including COSHH

Experience:

• Evidence of all aspects of forestry and arboriculture work, and substantial experience of using related machinery
• Experience of compliance with, and management of on-site bio-security issues (relating to pathogens, pests, disease and disorders
• Extensive ability to take measurements and make calculations (e.g. areas, volumes and weights)
• Problem identification and solving
• Use of information technology (eg personal computer, PDS, mobile phones etc) in a work-related context

Skills & Abilities:

• Core communication skills both written and verbal
• Able and willing to work with everyone in the team
• Able to use own initiative in planning and prioritising
• Able to respond confidently to customers & colleagues with understanding & diplomacy whilst maintaining an objective & professional stance
• Ability to remain calm & positive in challenging circumstances
• Able to abide by the Industry Code of Practice for Arboriculture – specifically relating to Working at Height Operations, including pruning and free fall dismantling, rigging, crane, MEWP and ladders
• Able to carry out safe and effective aerial rescue operations both drills and on live sites.
• Well organised and be able to prioritise own workload

ALD