On Wed, 8 Sep 2004 20:52:14 +0100, "shazzbat"
wrote:


There is a lot of crap talked about not only chainsaws, but also other
dangerous machinery. Training is desirable, but who trained the first person
to use one? Who trains the first person to use a new model/type? Who trains
the trainers? I hired a chainsaw a few years ago, and was asked "do you know
how to use one?" and that was it.

Suppliers will sell you anything, they may say " make sure you get some
training" or they may say "is the person who's going to use it trained?" And
of course you will reply "yes", and then he'll sell you the saw. After all,
he's in the business of selling machinery, he's not going to turn you away.

Just be careful, read the manual, use commonsense and the recommended
protective clothing, and you'll be OK.

I agree with a lot of that, you're obviously intelligent and fairly
machine/risk savvy - you taught yourself. Same here, same for my mate
Phil who works with me. Same for many others.

*But* what do you do with the rest - they need to use these things but
they aren't safe out without their mothers. You have to get 'em
trained for your own and everbody elses safety as well as theirs.

As for the dealers, you're probably at least partly right - our local
dealers who know us very well don't ask for our NPTC certificates but
I don't know what they'd do about a stranger walking into their
showroom. Should be seeing their rep next week, I'll try and remember
to ask him.

'Who trains the trainers?' Good question. Neither myself or Phil are
qualified trainers or assessors but I don't know anyone who could
teach or assess us adequately on say for example Compact Tractors,
we'd have to train 'em ourselves first.

=================================================

Rod

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