Safety was the primary focus of a specialised TAFE NSW chainsaw operations short course delivered to 50 WaterNSW staff from Tamworth, Inverell, Gunnedah and Manilla.

Four separate WaterNSW staff groups completed three days of training at the Split Rock and Keepit Dams over the past six weeks. The Statement of Attainment in Chainsaw Operations helped participants understand correct cutting techniques, basic maintenance and sharpening skills, how to trim and cross cut trees, tree felling and how to get the saw to work for them.

WaterNSW Executive Manager Assets, Ronan Magaharan, said safety is the highest priority for WaterNSW, and training places a vital role in maintaining the highest standards.

“We place the safety of our people, as well as contractors and visitors to any of our sites above all other considerations,” he said.

“For that reason we are rolling out refresher chainsaw handling training to not only the 50 employees from Tamworth, Inverell, Gunnedah and Manilla, but approximately 120 WaterNSW employees statewide as part of their overall training and safety awareness package.

“As well as the most recent sessions at the Split Rock and Keepit Dams in the state’s north, we have held other chainsaw training in the south, notably Lock 15 on the Murray, and Leeton.

“We chose TAFE NSW as a quality and trusted provider of accredited training for all these sessions, to ensure that our personnel return to their loved ones safe and sound at the end of the day.”

TAFE NSW Forestry Teacher Peter Berry delivered the training, and said: “Full credit should go to the WaterNSW staff who undertook the training. They may have already known a lot of what was covered, but everyone really embraced the training, putting in lots of effort to learn as much as possible and they were very complimentary that the training was beneficial.”

TAFE NSW Regional General Manager, Kate Baxter, said this specialised chainsaw training was adapted to suit the individual needs of WaterNSW, and was an example of Australia’s largest training provider tailoring its training to meet the unique, individual needs of local industry and business.

For more information on more than 1200 courses available at TAFE NSW visit www.tafensw.edu.au or phone 131 601.