Compliance Management for Forestry
Handle UKWAS certification, chainsaw competence, and felling licences with digital tools built for woodland management.
The Challenge
Forestry operations combine the UK's most dangerous workplace with exacting environmental and certification requirements where one safety incident or compliance failure can shut down operations permanently. UKWAS sustainable forestry certification demands comprehensive operation records, environmental protection documentation, and contractor competence verification; Forestry Commission felling licences impose strict conditions on timing, methods, and replanting; chainsaw operation creates extreme risks requiring NPTC competence and daily safety checks; contractor management requires verification of insurance, competence, and method statements; and environmental protection spans watercourses, ancient woodland, protected species, and archaeological features. Paper-based operation logs filled out in wet woodlands become illegible, NPTC certificates are filed away with no expiry tracking, and assembling evidence for UKWAS audits means searching through years of disorganized paperwork. When HSE arrives after a chainsaw incident or UKWAS conduct surveillance, you need instant proof of operator competence, systematic safety management, and documented environmental compliance - not a box of sodden notebooks from the contractor cabin.
How Assistant Manager Solves Forestry Compliance
Each module is designed to address the specific challenges forestry businesses face every day.
Checklist Management
Forestry operations in remote woodland sites need mobile safety documentation that works without internet, with environmental monitoring critical for UKWAS certification and felling licence compliance
The Problems
Why This Matters for Forestry
- Daily chainsaw and equipment checks are rushed or skipped in remote woodland sites, with operators starting work without documented verification of chain tension, safety features, or PPE condition
Equipment failures cause injuries that could have been prevented, and HSE investigation reveals no pre-use check records proving safety systems were functioning
- Felling site environmental controls like watercourse protection and archaeology exclusion zones are briefed verbally but never systematically verified during operations
Contractors damage protected features, UKWAS audits find no monitoring records, and Environment Agency prosecution follows water pollution incidents
The Solution
How Checklist Management Helps
Mobile equipment safety checklists with photographic evidence, GPS-located site environmental inspection schedules, and real-time operation recording
Every chainsaw and piece of equipment is checked before use with photo documentation, environmental protection measures are verified on-site with location proof, and operation records are generated automatically
Use Cases:
- • Pre-operation chainsaw safety checks with photographic verification
- • Equipment daily inspection (harvester, forwarder, chipper)
- • Felling site environmental protection verification (watercourses, archaeology)
- • Extraction route condition monitoring
- • Stacking area safety and environmental compliance checks
- • Contractor method statement compliance verification
- • Wildlife disturbance monitoring during operations
- • Post-operation site condition and restoration checks
Feature Screenshot
Checklist Management
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Daily chainsaw and equipment checks are rushed or skipped in remote woodland sites, with operators starting work without documented verification of chain tension, safety features, or PPE condition
Real Scenario
"A chainsaw kickback seriously injures an operator. HSE investigation reveals the chain brake was defective. Your paper check sheets show daily checks were "completed" but they are generic tick boxes with no detail. HSE prosecutes for inadequate equipment inspection systems."
Example 2: Felling site environmental controls like watercourse protection and archaeology exclusion zones are briefed verbally but never systematically verified during operations
Real Scenario
"A felling contractor damages a scheduled ancient monument because the 50m exclusion zone was never marked on site and the operator forgot the verbal briefing. UKWAS audit reveals you have no documented site inspections verifying exclusion zones were maintained. This becomes a major non-conformance risking certification."
Risk Assessment
Forestry work creates extreme and site-specific risks requiring detailed risk assessment beyond generic templates, with contractor risk management critical for shared liability protection
The Problems
Why This Matters for Forestry
- Generic forestry risk assessments cover chainsaw work and tree felling in general but never address specific site hazards like steep slopes, overhead power lines, or public access risks
Site-specific hazards are not identified or controlled, and when accidents occur, HSE finds risk assessments do not reflect actual working conditions
- Contractor risk assessments and method statements are collected at contract start but never reviewed for site-specific adequacy or updated when conditions change
Contractors work using generic methods inappropriate for your site, accidents occur that proper site-specific assessment would have prevented
The Solution
How Risk Assessment Helps
Site-specific forestry risk assessments with photo-annotated hazard mapping, contractor method statement review system, and operation-specific risk briefing generation
Every felling site has specific risk assessment covering actual hazards, contractor methods are reviewed for site suitability, and workers receive documented site-specific safety briefings
Use Cases:
- • Felling site specific risk assessment (slopes, access, hazards)
- • Chainsaw operation risk management with operator limitations
- • Contractor operation risk assessment and method statement review
- • Power line and utility hazard assessment
- • Public access and bridleway risk management
- • Steep ground extraction route risk assessment
- • Lone working risk management for remote woodland sites
- • Weather-related operation risk assessment (wind, ice)
Feature Screenshot
Risk Assessment
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Generic forestry risk assessments cover chainsaw work and tree felling in general but never address specific site hazards like steep slopes, overhead power lines, or public access risks
Real Scenario
"A tree falls onto an overhead power line during felling. The operator is uninjured but HSE investigation reveals your risk assessment is a generic forestry template with no mention of the power lines crossing the site. They prosecute for failing to assess obvious hazards."
Example 2: Contractor risk assessments and method statements are collected at contract start but never reviewed for site-specific adequacy or updated when conditions change
Real Scenario
"A contractor's forwarder overturns on a steep extraction route. The operator is seriously injured. HSE finds the contractor's risk assessment describes flat-ground operations and you never required a site-specific assessment for the steep terrain on your woodland."
Training & Development
Forestry absolutely requires current NPTC chainsaw competence with no exceptions, and landowner liability for contractor operations makes systematic competence verification essential
The Problems
Why This Matters for Forestry
- NPTC chainsaw certificates are filed in the office with no tracking of 5-year expiry dates, and operators continue working with expired competence
Expired certifications are only discovered during HSE investigation after accidents, creating serious legal liability and UKWAS non-conformances
- Contractors arrive with claimed chainsaw competence but you never systematically verify NPTC certificates or provide site-specific safety briefings
Incompetent contractors work in your woodland creating huge safety and legal risks, and you cannot demonstrate due diligence in contractor competence verification
The Solution
How Training & Development Helps
NPTC certificate tracking with automatic 5-year expiry alerts, contractor competence verification system, and site-specific safety induction for all woodland workers
Every operator's NPTC status is tracked with 6-month renewal reminders, contractor certificates are verified before work commences, and documented site briefings protect your liability
Use Cases:
- • NPTC chainsaw certificate tracking (CS30, CS31, CS38, CS39)
- • Contractor competence verification before operations commence
- • Site-specific induction covering hazards and environmental controls
- • First aid certificate tracking for remote working operations
- • Harvester and forwarder operator competence verification
- • Environmental awareness training for protected feature protection
- • Emergency response training (serious injury, equipment accidents)
- • UKWAS audit preparation and contractor competence evidence
Feature Screenshot
Training & Development
Real-World Examples
Example 1: NPTC chainsaw certificates are filed in the office with no tracking of 5-year expiry dates, and operators continue working with expired competence
Real Scenario
"During UKWAS surveillance audit, the auditor asks to verify chainsaw operator competence. You confidently pull out the NPTC certificate folder. Two of your four operators have certificates expired between 6 months and 2 years ago. This is a critical finding that suspends your certification until competence is restored."
Example 2: Contractors arrive with claimed chainsaw competence but you never systematically verify NPTC certificates or provide site-specific safety briefings
Real Scenario
"A contractor seriously injures himself with a chainsaw during felling on your site. HSE investigation reveals he has no NPTC certification - he claimed competence and you never checked. You are prosecuted for allowing incompetent workers to undertake high-risk operations on your land."
Accident & Incident Records
Forestry incidents often occur in remote locations without immediate office access, requiring mobile documentation that captures evidence at point of incident for HSE and environmental investigations
The Problems
Why This Matters for Forestry
- Chainsaw incidents and near-misses are dealt with immediately but formal recording is delayed or forgotten, leaving no documentation trail when HSE investigates
Incomplete incident records make HSE prosecution inevitable, pattern analysis is impossible, and you cannot demonstrate safety culture to UKWAS
- Environmental incidents like watercourse pollution or damage to protected features are rectified immediately but never formally documented with root cause analysis
Recurring environmental issues are not prevented, UKWAS audits find no incident learning system, and Environment Agency prosecution lacks your mitigation evidence
The Solution
How Accident & Incident Records Helps
Mobile incident reporting from woodland sites with photo evidence, automatic RIDDOR determination, environmental incident documentation, and pattern analysis across operations
Every incident is documented immediately with location and photo evidence, RIDDOR obligations are flagged automatically, and environmental incidents have documented remediation for regulatory defense
Use Cases:
- • Chainsaw injury and near-miss reporting with equipment details
- • Environmental incident documentation (watercourse, protected species)
- • Equipment accident reporting (harvester, forwarder overturns)
- • Tree felling incidents (hung-up trees, unexpected falls)
- • Contractor incident reporting and investigation
- • Public interaction incidents (walkers, complaints, damage)
- • RIDDOR determination and HSE notification for serious injuries
- • Pattern analysis across sites and contractors for risk reduction
Feature Screenshot
Accident & Incident Records
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Chainsaw incidents and near-misses are dealt with immediately but formal recording is delayed or forgotten, leaving no documentation trail when HSE investigates
Real Scenario
"A serious chainsaw injury occurs. HSE investigation uncovers three near-miss incidents in the previous 6 months that nobody recorded. Workers mention them but there are no written records. HSE views this as systematic failure to learn from warning signs and prosecutes aggressively."
Example 2: Environmental incidents like watercourse pollution or damage to protected features are rectified immediately but never formally documented with root cause analysis
Real Scenario
"A forwarder crosses a stream during extraction, causing visible pollution. You immediately stop operations and install proper crossing. Three months later, Environment Agency prosecutes. You have no written incident record, no photos of remediation, and no documented corrective actions. This significantly weakens your defense."
Results Forestry Businesses Achieve
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