Health & Safety

We take health and safety extremely seriously at Branching Out Tree Surgery (Kent) Ltd (Trading as Bruks Tree Surgery and Bruks Tree Carving), as one would expect in this industry. Each job needs to be planned, considered and all risks assessed; which is why we carry out an on-site risk assessment and team-brief upon arrival of each site every day.

To carry out these complex and dangerous tasks we use ropes, harnesses and other related equipment so that we can carefully control the decent of all branches and timber. This equipment must be regularly inspected and records are kept conforming with the HSE ‘Lifting Operations and Lifting equipment Regulations 1998’ (LOLER) and with the ‘Provision and use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998’ (PUWER). We also use the latest arboricultural techniques and equipment to make sure that we undertake work safely and efficiently.

We are fully insured, have public liability insurance to £5,000,000 and we carry a copy of this documentation in all vehicles.We are able to provide method statements and specific site risk assessments for any commercial and domestic work.

All staff are trained, qualified, hold relevant NPTC certificates and work to the current British standard 3998 as guided by the Director. They are also all equipped with the relevant PPE that should be used in tree surgery. We always have a rescue climber working with any other climber at all times and an emergency plan should the worst happen. The Director is the primary manager of Health & Safety on-site, followed by the Lead Climber in his absence and finally the groundsman will assume this responsibility where appropriate.

All staff work in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Arboricultural Associations’ publication ‘A Guide to Good Climbing Practice’ and the HSE ‘Working at Height Regulations 2005’.

All the full time staff are first-aid qualified and there is at least one member of first-aid trained staff on site at any one time. All our machinery and equipment is regularly maintained, serviced and inspected and therefore, as safe and compliant as possible and we also work to the noise and vibration limits set out by HSE. Bruks Tree Surgery provides the latest advice and the best in health and safety planning to make sure that there is no risk to the public, property or indeed any wildlife. This is a high-risk business and so it is important that you, as the customer, choose the most competent and best qualified to undertake your tree surgery, stump, chainsaw carving or garden requirements.

We hold our up-to-date waste carrying licence for on-site inspection at all times, issued by the Environment Agency which all tree surgeons must have in order to remove any green waste of any description. In summary, this document has been prepared to define the way that Bruks Tree Surgery manages health & safety and meets the requirements of Section 2 (3) of The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which requires an employer (noted as The Director, Mr Botha) to prepare a statement of general policy, (reviewed yearly) with respect to the health and safety of employees, others not in their employment but for whom they are responsible, and the organisation and arrangement set up to carry out the policy. It has been drawn up taking into account the general duties of The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (also on display at the work-site premises) which are simply summarised as follows ( note that this is not a legal interpretation of the Act):

  • The employer must ensure, so far as is reasonably practical, the health and safety at work of his employees and others not in his employment but for whom he is responsible by providing:
    • a safe system of work
    • on-site risk assessments and Health & Safety consultation with all site-staff carried out at each work site prior to commencement
    • safe plant and equipment
    • safe means of handling and transporting articles and substances
    • adequate training, instruction, information and supervision
    • a safe place of work with safe access and egress from the place of work
  • Employees and sub-contractors must look after their own health and safety and ensure that they do not endanger others. They must also co-operate with the employer to assist in meeting the statutory requirements. No person must recklessly or wilfully interfere with anything provided for health and safety.

NPTC Qualified

Our work is always carried out in accordance with BS 3998. 
We are fully insured and carry public liability cover of £5 million.