Next ECC Training Event to be held in Romania
Dear Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Following the success of our previous training events held in Spain, Denmark, Czech Republic and Scotland we are pleased to announce that the next event will take place in Romania on the 24-26th April 2012. This event will aim to consolidate on acceptable techniques and assessment methods following approval of the new European Chainsaw Standards at the forthcoming General Assembly in March. This will prove to be an excellent opportunity to put the new standards into practice for the 1st time whilst providing potential ECC Assessors the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the complete process.
Please reserve the date in your calendars. Following the inaugural meeting of the EFESC Standards Committee in March we will send you more detailed information, a request for registration, and in due course you will receive the detailed agenda. Please do not hesitate to contact the event organiser Billy Robb in the meantime, if you have any questions or remarks relating to this upcoming training & standards setting event.
Best regards
Board and Members of EFESC
EFESC General Assembly on 1-2 March 2012
Dear Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Following the successful completion of the Leonardo da Vinci project to develop the European Chainsaw Standards ECS and establish the European Forestry and Environmental Skills Council EFESC we are now prepared to implement the European Chainsaw Certificate.
Therefore we cordially invite all actual EFESC Members and organizations which are keen to contribute to EFESC in the future to our next General Assembly that will be held on 1-2 March 2012 in the European Forestry House in Brussels.
At this General Assembly we plan to:
- formally endorse the ECC Standards.
- adopt procedures for the management of EFESC and the National Agencies.
- decide on the further development of EFESC.
Please reserve the date in your calendars. Soon after Christmas we will send you more detailed information, a request for registration, and in due course you will receive the detailed agenda. Please do not hesitate to contact us when you have any questions or remarks.
Best regards
Board and Members of EFESC
Final Project Pilot Chainsaw Tests-Dumfries, Scotland
Following a productive management meeting in London recently relating to the final preparations for the Leonardo project, discussions included the final field testing of ECC. The 'ECC Assessor Verification Event' will be held over the 20-23rd September in Dumfries, Scotland. This is the final event aimed primarily at fine tuning the European standards, assessor guidance/criteria, a code of practice for assessors, the application of the European chainsaw register, management of practical and theory tests, verification of the pilot ECC assessors and other important quality assurance items. The final results will be circulated to the wider industries for consultation and promoted by project partners CTFC & ENFE at the upcoming conference in Freiburg (iufrocompetence 2011)
In addition, it was decided in London that it would make sense to coincide the final management meeting with this event. This would enable the project managers to see 1st hand the chainsaw assessments being undertaken in the forest i.e. the final version of the ECC product. EFESC Standards & Accreditation Committee members who will have the responsibility to manage & develop this new certification, beyond the project end date of 30th September 2011, will also be present in order to gain a full understanding of the processes developed. The Project Manager-Billy Robb will soon be handing over the lead responsibility to the recently appointed EFESC-Chairman, Mr Tom Embo. Billy commented 'All the project partners and participating non-partners have worked extremely hard over the past few years and more to bring the project to the successful stage we have now reached. After the event in Dumfries we will have laid the foundation stones for the future of the European awarding body-EFESC and a high quality, credible & recognisable European Chainsaw Certificate-ECC. I look forward to continuing to support Tom in further development of EFESC & the EFESC membership in the promotion of safe European chainsaw operator standards & mobility opportunities into the future'.
EFESC: Project Management Meeting-London, UK
Following the results of the recent consultation and debate within the partnership related to the organisational structure for EFESC, to move this forward, a meeting has been organised later this month. The Project Partners have agreed to get together for a full 2-day meeting with the main aim of finalising the EFESC structure prior to the launch of the first European Chainsaw examinations in September. Many supportive comments/feedback have been received and will be discussed at the meeting. The Project Manager would like to thank all the contributors for submitting their points of view on the best way forward for the EFESC structure. An update will follow in due course.
ECC: Latest standard setting event
At the beginning of July 2011, after nearly a week in a forest in Czech Republic, the pioneer EFESC assessors completed the task of setting & pilot testing new European standards.These covered the following levels:
- ECC 1: Chainsaw maintenance & crosscutting
- ECC 2: Basic tree felling
- ECC 3: Advanced tree felling
- ECC 4: Windblown trees
ECC 4 was initially evaluated during the last standard setting event held during September 2010 in Denmark. The initial cross-referencing of national standards was undertaken during April 2010 in Spain. This 3rd field testing event was very successful and moved the whole process of a European chainsaw certificate (ECC) closer to becoming a reality. Options on the chainsaw testing included discussion on a separate theory test (for underpinning knowledge) which led to practical observation of mock tests in the forest. These included maximum time limits on assessment and a system of grading the level of practical skills based on the candidate's performance.
Following agreement on the technical content and assessment criteria for ECC1 & 2 potential EFESC assessors were then technically evaluated. Two verifiers were present per candidate. Assessors had to demonstrate their skills to the high standards further developed over the first 2 days. This also included the Lead verifiers. In total, 12 European assessors were successfully evaluated. 28 participants from 12 different countries attended the lively event.
Planning is now well underway for the 4th field testing event where more potential assessors will be technically evaluated to prove they meet the standard. All assessors will be verified undertaking their first live ECC tests to demonstrate they work according to the new standard. Successful verification will then mean the assessor will be registered as active with EFESC and can start to undertake ECC assessments for approved National Agency's. The launch of the 1st ECC certifications will take place in late September a further announcement will be placed on this web site soon.
EFESC Officially Founded in Czech Republic
On the 16-17th March 2011 following, final discussions on two different proposals related to the EFESC organisational structure (an on-going debate for many months now) the EFESC Steering Group & Founding Members led by Leonardo Project Manager-Billy Robb, reached a consensus of opinion, amended the constitution accordingly and called for a vote. The result was a unanimous YES!!
One option is that EFESC will now be established as an International Not For Profit Organisation (INPO) under Belgium law. A promotional launch will be held in early June 2011 at a training centre conference in Austria. A national assessment centre/assessor accreditation process is due for completion soon. At this stage, at least 12 EU countries have indicated their interest to become a centre. Chainsaw standards are continually being developed and updated. An EU-wide chainsaw registration database is also near to completion, incorporated alongside this new EFESC web-site. A review of chainsaw accidents and trends is being undertaken and the results will be published on this website soon.
Further work, which includes membership structures, fees, functions and responsibilities, is on-going. Please contact us and register your interest if you would like to participate and get involved! In brief:
- EFESC Founded March 2011
- Constitution reviewed April 2011
- EFESC potentially endorsed under Belgium law
- Registration of potiential EFESC national assessment centres June 2011
- European chainsaw register & EFESC website established
- European chainsaw accident review being undertaken
1st European Chainsaw Certifications Coming soon!
A key milestone was reached in March 2011 with the foundation of the skills council (EFESC). In brief, this is the council responsible for the management of skills certifications throughout Europe within the general areas of forestry and the environment. This was one major objective of this Leonardo funded project. Another major objective is the establishment of a European Chainsaw Certificate (ECC).
As a result of previous pilot tests and training events standardised European chainsaw assessment criteria have been developed. In the final week of June 2011, again, in the Czech Republic the first chainsaw assessments will take place. This very important event will see the participation of chainsaw trainers/assessors from many European countries getting involved. In order to have a clear understanding of the process the assessors will be the very first test candidates. They will be subject to on-going evaluation prior to the final assessment. Where the candidates are successful and meet all the requirements they will become the first EFESC chainsaw assessors and certificate holders. In brief:
- Review & Fine tuning of chainsaw standards June 2011
- ECC Standards setting event for potential EFESC chainsaw assessors June 2011
- Testing & Evaluation of all assessors (Theory & Practical Exams) June 2011
- 1st ECC Certifications approved
- Registration of EFESC approved assessors