Applicant: Arboricultural Association (AA)
Project purpose: To support the development and authoring of an Industry Code of Practice for Tree Work at Height (ICoP).
Background to the project: The activities involved in arboricultural work in trees at height have significant health and safety implications. There was previously no over-arching guidance on this; those industry guides that were available were in need of revision.
Project outcome: Following technical consultation and reviews from key stakeholders throughout the industry, the final completed ICoP was published in February 2015 as a free PDF download from the AA website.
The ICOP sets out the legal framework, protocols and managerial guidance to the 'Responsible Person' and 'Competent Person' whose roles are pivotal in ensuring that this work is correctly and adequately planned and carried out to recognised industry standards.
The ICoP has been well received by industry and is now being used as the major reference work for a series of Technical Guides aimed at the practicing arborist. In addition, the Spanish Arboricultural Association (AEA) requested the rights to translate the ICoP into Spanish and there has been other international interest.