Unit of competency Outline
Date retreived
21/07/2026 11:20 PM AWST
21/07/2026 11:20 PM AWST
Whilst all efforts are made to provide accurate and timely information from the relevant source/documentation, please be aware that the information supplied may not be the most current version. The accuracy of the detail has not been confirmed by the Department and therefore should not be relied upon without first confirming the contents.
Apply tree jacking techniques
Apply tree jacking techniques
Unit of competency
National Code
FPIHAR4201B
FPIHAR4201B
State Code
D6041
D6041
TGA Status
Replaced
Replaced
DTWD Status
Replaced
Replaced
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
15/02/2013
Field of Education
050501 - Forestry Studies
Original Release Date
15/02/2013
Nominal Hours
100
Description
This unit describes the outcomes required to apply tree jacking techniques in the process of felling trees 180o away from their natural direction of fall using purpose built tree jacksGeneral workplace legislative and regulatory requirements apply to this unit; however there are no specific licensing or certification requirements at the time of publicationThis unit replaces FPIHAR4201A Apply tree jacking techniques
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Prepare for tree jacking
- 1.1. Applicable Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), environmental, legislative and organisational requirements relevant to applying tree jacking techniques are identified and followed
- 1.2. Work plan is reviewed and checked with appropriate personnel
- 1.3. Type and quantity of trees to be tree jacked are identified and assessed for safe working conditions and environmental protection measures
- 1.4. Equipment is selected appropriate to work requirements and checked for operational effectiveness in line with manufacturer's recommendations
- 1.5. Tree jacking activities are planned in line with site procedures
- 1.6. Communication with others is established and maintained in line with OHS requirements
2. Assess and plan tree jacking
- 2.1. Environmental conditions are assessed and the outcomes are used as the basis to plan the felling of each tree
- 2.2. Movement and whereabouts of other personnel is monitored and work modified to be in line with OHS regulations
- 2.3. Tree, location and stability are assessed for conditions likely to affect safety of tree jacking activities
- 2.4. Tree is visually assessed for defects, grade and recovery status
- 2.5. Growth around tree and appropriate escape route are selected and cleared either manually or mechanically
- 2.6. Fall direction and allowable degree of error are assessed, considering hang ups, damage, extraction constraints and available open space
- 2.7. Cutting sequence is planned to control direction of the fall and minimise damage to the tree and surrounding environment and communicated to other personnel
- 2.8. Trees too dangerous to be felled safely are marked and referred to appropriate personnel
3. Tree jack trees
- 3.1. Pre start-up checks are carried out on equipment in line with site requirements
- 3.2. Leaders are removed and cleared in line with the tree jacking plan
- 3.3. Unexpected characteristics of a tree are diagnosed and planning is reviewed
- 3.4. Jacking slots are made to provide for placement of tree jacks in line with planned falling direction
- 3.5. Cutting technique is adjusted and tree jacks are used to control movement and direction of tree being felled
- 3.6. Falling is completed once initiated and planned safe exit route used in line with OHS requirements
- 3.7. Movement of the tree on the ground is monitored and trees that hang up are assessed and cleared in line with site requirements
- 3.8. Tree jacking process and equipment faults are recorded and reported to the appropriate personnel
4. Conduct operator maintenance
- 4.1. Equipment lock-out procedures are followed in line with OHS legislation and site procedures
- 4.2. Chain is checked for blunt or damaged condition
- 4.3. Chain and other components are removed, sharpened, maintained, adjusted and replaced in line with manufacturer's recommendations
- 4.4. Tree jacks are checked for operation and serviced
- 4.5. Chainsaw set-up is assessed and adjusted to suit cutting conditions
- 4.6. Chainsaw is kept in operational condition and checked to ensure it meets relevant standards prior to use
RANGE STATEMENT
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Tree jacked
is the process of felling trees 180o away from their natural lean using purpose built tree jacks, held in position by boring holes into the solid wood of the tree and securing the jacks to these
OHS requirements:
are to be in line with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation and regulations, and organisational safety policies and procedures, and may include:
personal protective equipment and clothing
safety equipment
first aid equipment
fire fighting equipment
hazard and risk control
fatigue management
elimination of hazardous materials and substances
safe forest practices including required actions relating to forest fire
manual handling including shifting, lifting and carrying
Environmental requirements may include:
legislation
organisational policies and procedures
workplace practices
Legislative requirements:
are to be in line with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation, regulations, certification requirements and codes of practice and may include:
award and enterprise agreements
industrial relations
Australian Standards
confidentiality and privacy
OHS
the environment
equal opportunity
anti-discrimination
relevant industry codes of practice
duty of care
Organisational requirements may include:
legal
organisational and site guidelines
policies and procedures relating to own role and responsibility
quality assurance
procedural manuals
quality and continuous improvement processes and standards
OHS, emergency and evacuation procedures
ethical standards
recording and reporting requirements
equipment use and maintenance and storage requirements
environmental management requirements (waste disposal, recycling and re-use guidelines)
Work plan is to include:
instructions for tree jacking for the work site
and may include:
type
size
length
quantity
grade
instructions for the environmental monitoring of work and procedures
environmental care requirements relevant to the work
Appropriate personnel may include:
supervisors
offsider/jack operator
suppliers
clients
colleagues
managers
Trees
are those in positions where conventional cutting techniques will not facilitate desired fall direction
Environmental protection measures may include:
ground growth
canopy
general forest lean
wind speed and direction
fallen trees
density of trees
ground slope
soil and water protection
ground hazards
obstacles
contingencies for modifying operations during wet or other adverse weather conditions
Equipment may include:
tree jacks
chainsaws
specific safety attire
maintenance tools and equipment
and is to include:
procedures for chainsaw lock-out such as protecting operators and co-workers from accidental injury by isolating the machine
Communication may include:
verbal and non-verbal language
hand or other agreed signals
eye contact with other operators or personnel
active listening
questioning to clarify and confirm understanding
use of electronic communication devices
Environmental conditions may include:
ground growth
ground slope
gullies
water courses
seed trees
habitat trees
ground hazards
obstacles
Stability
is the physical stability of the tree in-situ, that it is safe to fell and not likely to contain defect
Defects may include:
shakes
insect defects
knots
resin pockets
Grade
is evaluation of the tree for defects, quality and size of log return
Fall direction
is 180o away from natural lean
Hang ups
are trees which become entangled or snagged with other objects, usually other standing trees and do not fall completely to the ground
Extraction
is the method of removing the log from the work site with mechanical equipment and cables, considering site conditions and specific log location
Cutting sequence
is the best direction or angle for making cuts to facilitate achieving the fall direction
Pre start-up checks
are conducted to ensure:
equipment has been set-up correctly
the systems are performing accurately and operating to optimum performance
Leaders
are new tree growth from the base or near the base of the tree
Records and reports may relate to:
tree type, size, length, diameter, inspection, grading and labelling outcomes, storage locations, quality outcomes, hazards, incidents or equipment malfunctions
and may be:
manual
using a computer-based system or other appropriate organisational communication system
Chain
is the fast moving component surrounding the chainsaw blade containing many linked teeth
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Tree jacked
is the process of felling trees 180o away from their natural lean using purpose built tree jacks, held in position by boring holes into the solid wood of the tree and securing the jacks to these
OHS requirements:
are to be in line with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation and regulations, and organisational safety policies and procedures, and may include:
personal protective equipment and clothing
safety equipment
first aid equipment
fire fighting equipment
hazard and risk control
fatigue management
elimination of hazardous materials and substances
safe forest practices including required actions relating to forest fire
manual handling including shifting, lifting and carrying
Environmental requirements may include:
legislation
organisational policies and procedures
workplace practices
Legislative requirements:
are to be in line with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation, regulations, certification requirements and codes of practice and may include:
award and enterprise agreements
industrial relations
Australian Standards
confidentiality and privacy
OHS
the environment
equal opportunity
anti-discrimination
relevant industry codes of practice
duty of care
Organisational requirements may include:
legal
organisational and site guidelines
policies and procedures relating to own role and responsibility
quality assurance
procedural manuals
quality and continuous improvement processes and standards
OHS, emergency and evacuation procedures
ethical standards
recording and reporting requirements
equipment use and maintenance and storage requirements
environmental management requirements (waste disposal, recycling and re-use guidelines)
Work plan is to include:
instructions for tree jacking for the work site
and may include:
type
size
length
quantity
grade
instructions for the environmental monitoring of work and procedures
environmental care requirements relevant to the work
Appropriate personnel may include:
supervisors
offsider/jack operator
suppliers
clients
colleagues
managers
Trees
are those in positions where conventional cutting techniques will not facilitate desired fall direction
Environmental protection measures may include:
ground growth
canopy
general forest lean
wind speed and direction
fallen trees
density of trees
ground slope
soil and water protection
ground hazards
obstacles
contingencies for modifying operations during wet or other adverse weather conditions
Equipment may include:
tree jacks
chainsaws
specific safety attire
maintenance tools and equipment
and is to include:
procedures for chainsaw lock-out such as protecting operators and co-workers from accidental injury by isolating the machine
Communication may include:
verbal and non-verbal language
hand or other agreed signals
eye contact with other operators or personnel
active listening
questioning to clarify and confirm understanding
use of electronic communication devices
Environmental conditions may include:
ground growth
ground slope
gullies
water courses
seed trees
habitat trees
ground hazards
obstacles
Stability
is the physical stability of the tree in-situ, that it is safe to fell and not likely to contain defect
Defects may include:
shakes
insect defects
knots
resin pockets
Grade
is evaluation of the tree for defects, quality and size of log return
Fall direction
is 180o away from natural lean
Hang ups
are trees which become entangled or snagged with other objects, usually other standing trees and do not fall completely to the ground
Extraction
is the method of removing the log from the work site with mechanical equipment and cables, considering site conditions and specific log location
Cutting sequence
is the best direction or angle for making cuts to facilitate achieving the fall direction
Pre start-up checks
are conducted to ensure:
equipment has been set-up correctly
the systems are performing accurately and operating to optimum performance
Leaders
are new tree growth from the base or near the base of the tree
Records and reports may relate to:
tree type, size, length, diameter, inspection, grading and labelling outcomes, storage locations, quality outcomes, hazards, incidents or equipment malfunctions
and may be:
manual
using a computer-based system or other appropriate organisational communication system
Chain
is the fast moving component surrounding the chainsaw blade containing many linked teeth
EVIDENCE GUIDE
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment
A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence that they can safely and efficiently apply tree jacking techniques within organisational requirements
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements of this unit and include demonstration of:
following applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislative and regulatory requirements and codes of practice relevant to the application of tree jacking techniques
following organisational policies and procedures relevant to apply tree jacking techniques
applying tree jacking techniques in line with the work order and within prescribed organisational tolerances
conducting operator maintenance on a chainsaw
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Competency is to be assessed in the workplace or realistically simulated workplace
Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints
Assessment of required knowledge, other than confirmatory questions, will usually be conducted in an off-site context
Assessment is to follow relevant regulatory or Australian Standards requirements
The following resources should be made available:
workplace location or simulated workplace
materials and equipment relevant to undertaking work applicable to this unit
specifications and work instructions
Assessment must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the FPI11 Training Package
Assessment methods must confirm consistency and accuracy of performance (over time and in a range of workplace relevant contexts) together with application of required knowledge
Assessment must be by direct observation of tasks, with questioning on required knowledge and it must also reinforce the integration of employability skills
Assessment methods must confirm the ability to access and correctly interpret and apply the required knowledge
Assessment may be applied under project-related conditions (real or simulated) and require evidence of process
Assessment must confirm a reasonable inference that competency is able not only to be satisfied under the particular circumstance, but is able to be transferred to other circumstances
Assessment may be in conjunction with assessment of other units of competency
The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate
Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality, gender or language backgrounds other than English
Where the participant has a disability, reasonable adjustment may be applied during assessment
Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment
A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence that they can safely and efficiently apply tree jacking techniques within organisational requirements
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements of this unit and include demonstration of:
following applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislative and regulatory requirements and codes of practice relevant to the application of tree jacking techniques
following organisational policies and procedures relevant to apply tree jacking techniques
applying tree jacking techniques in line with the work order and within prescribed organisational tolerances
conducting operator maintenance on a chainsaw
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Competency is to be assessed in the workplace or realistically simulated workplace
Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints
Assessment of required knowledge, other than confirmatory questions, will usually be conducted in an off-site context
Assessment is to follow relevant regulatory or Australian Standards requirements
The following resources should be made available:
workplace location or simulated workplace
materials and equipment relevant to undertaking work applicable to this unit
specifications and work instructions
Assessment must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the FPI11 Training Package
Assessment methods must confirm consistency and accuracy of performance (over time and in a range of workplace relevant contexts) together with application of required knowledge
Assessment must be by direct observation of tasks, with questioning on required knowledge and it must also reinforce the integration of employability skills
Assessment methods must confirm the ability to access and correctly interpret and apply the required knowledge
Assessment may be applied under project-related conditions (real or simulated) and require evidence of process
Assessment must confirm a reasonable inference that competency is able not only to be satisfied under the particular circumstance, but is able to be transferred to other circumstances
Assessment may be in conjunction with assessment of other units of competency
The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate
Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality, gender or language backgrounds other than English
Where the participant has a disability, reasonable adjustment may be applied during assessment
Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role
Replaces
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| S4713 | FPIHAR4201A | Apply tree jacking techniques | Unit of competency |
Replaced By
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| AXK22 | FWPHAR4201 | Apply tree jacking techniques | Unit of competency |
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| J474 | FPI40111 | Certificate IV in Forest Operations | Qualification |