Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Agriculture
Forestry and arboriculture leaflets and newsletters published by HSE.
The consultation exercise has now closed. AFAG would like to thank all of those who took the time to contribute their thoughts to the consultation. The comments received and discussions resulting from the consultation can still be viewed on the consultation exercise website, as can a representative range of written contributions sent in by letter (see project documents folder). All comments have been reviewed by the AFAG Training and Certification Project Group and the results / recommendations resulting from the consultation have been discussed at the full AFAG meeting held on 19th of April.
All papers resulting from the consultation together with the minutes of the meeting will be available to view or download on the AFAG website as soon as possible at
The new forestry and arboriculture leaflets produced by the Arboriculture and Forestry Advisory Group (AFAG) and published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
AFAG was set up by the Health and Safety Commission’s Agriculture Industry Advisory Committee (AIAC) to deal specifically with arboriculture and forestry. Members are from across the forestry and arboriculture industry, with representatives from major industry bodies and organisations. AFAG agreed to take on some of the work that would have disappeared with the loss of the Forestry and Arboriculture Safety and Training Council (FASTCo), in particular to update and replace the series of free FASTCo safety guides.
The new AFAG leaflets are designed to give the same practical guidance as the old FASTCo guides, now revised and updated, and to operate as checklists for employers, supervisors and the self-employed. The FASTCo numbering system has also been retained, but with the prefix ‘AFAG’ (eg AFAG301), so everyone who was familiar with the old series should be able to easily identify the relevant new leaflet.
The old FASTCo website ceased to exist at the end of March, however, anyone accidentally entering the old site address will be automatically redirected to this section of the HSE website.
Single free copies of the leaflets are also available by mail order from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA Tel: 01787 881165 Fax: 01787 313995
They are also available in priced packs of 15.