A Lincolnshire landscape gardener has been fined after being spotted carrying out unsafe tree work.
John Holland and an employee were felling a tree at a house in Foxgloves, Deeping St James, on 19 August 2011. They were both using a chainsaw, despite not being qualified to do so and neither was wearing protective clothing such as protective trousers and boots.
In addition, Mr Holland was working in the crown of the tree without any kind of safety equipment that would have prevented a fall, such as a harness.
The two men were spotted by a neighbour who was trained to assess chainsaw work. He reported his concerns to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which brought the prosecution at Spalding Magistrates’ Court.
John Michael Holland, age 53, of Little London, Spalding, Lincolnshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, Regulations 4(1) and 4(2) of the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 and Regulation 9(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
On 18 July, Spalding magistrates fined him a total of £4,000 and ordered him to pay costs of £2,000.