Thursday, September 15, 2011

ISA HK/China --- CA Code of Ethics ("注册树艺师" 的专业守则)

国内朋友请使用翻译软件阅读本文 (http://translate.google.com.hk/?hl=en&tab=wT#en

zh-CN
), 亦可查閱 "百度博客" (http://hi.baidu.com/%B9%FA%BC%CA%CA%F7%C4%BE%D1%A7%BB%E1/blog ) 以取得本文翻绎本和其他文章。本分会的发表文章都已放弃版权, 任何人都可以自由转载作为教育目的, 但不能作为商业目的盈利。如有查询, 请电邮至 egc@netvigator.com 。

*** Our weekly Station Mail is for the information of Station Members only, but Station Mail has given up copyright & can be freely circulated. For administrative reasons, comments from outsiders are usually not entertained & may be circulated within our system locally & overseas. Please note Station Mail is sometimes given in Blog at http://isahkchina.blogspot.com in English, although images are usually not attached due to size. ***


Dear Station Members,

As more than 500 Certified Arborists (CA) have already been qualified sine 2005 in our territory & the number is growing in our territory of HK, Macau, Taiwan & China, it is important that our local CA have understood the Code of Ethics as given by ISA as below:

ISA CERTIFIED ARBORIST CODE OF ETHICS


The International Society of Arboriculture, Inc. (ISA) is a voluntary, non-profit, professional association. The ISA Certification Program certifies qualified practitioners in the field of arboriculture, who have met the professional knowledge standards established by the ISA Certification Board.


Regardless of any other professional affiliation, this ISA Certified Arborist Code of Ethics applies to those individuals seeking ISA Certified Arborist certification (candidates), and all individuals certified by the ISA as Certified Arborists (certificants). The Certified Arborist Code of Ethics establishes appropriate and enforceable professional conduct standards, and explains the minimal ethical behavior requirements for Certified Arborist certificants and candidates. The Certified Arborist Code of Ethics also serves as a professional resource for arborists, as well as for those served by Certified Arborist certificants and candidates, with respect to such standards and requirements.


I. Responsibilities to ISA, the profession and the public.


A. Certified Arborist compliance with all organizational rules, policies and legal requirements. Certificants and candidates must:


1. Comply with all applicable laws, regulations, policies and ethical standards governing professional practice of arboriculture.


2. Comply with all accepted professional standards related to arboriculture practice, including national practice standards and policies.


3. Provide accurate, complete, and truthful representations concerning all certification and recertification information.


4. Maintain the security of ISA examination information and materials, including the prevention of unauthorized disclosures of test information.


5. Cooperate with ISA concerning ethics matters and the collection of information related to an ethics matter.


6. Report to the ISA Certification Program, in a timely manner, their personal conduct that may violate any provision of the Certified Arborist Code of Ethics or the Certification Program Ethics Case Procedures.


7. Refrain from behavior or conduct that is clearly in violation of professional, ethical, or legal standards related to occupational services and/or activities.


II. Responsibilities to clients, employers, employees, and the public.


A. Certified Arborist responsibilities concerning the performance of professional services. Certificants and candidates must:


1. Deliver safe and competent services with objective and independent professional judgment in decision-making.


2. Recognize the limitations of their professional ability and provide services only when qualified. The certificant/candidate is responsible for determining the limits of his/her own professional abilities based on qualifications, education, knowledge, skills, practice experience, and other relevant considerations.


3. Make a reasonable effort to provide appropriate professional referrals when unable to provide competent professional assistance.


4. Maintain and respect the confidentiality of sensitive information obtained in the course of professional activities unless: the information is reasonably understood to pertain to unlawful activity; a court or governmental agency lawfully directs the release of the information; the client or the employer expressly authorizes the release of specific information; or, the failure to release such information would likely result in death or serious physical harm to employees and/or the public.


5. Properly use professional credentials, and provide truthful and accurate representations concerning education, experience, competency and the performance of services.


6. Provide truthful and accurate representations to the public in advertising, public statements, and other representations, and in the preparation of estimates concerning costs, services and expected results.


7. Recognize and respect the intellectual property rights of others and act in an accurate, complete, and truthful manner, including activities related to professional work and research.


B. Certified Arborist responsibilities concerning conflicts of interest and appearances of impropriety. Certificants and candidates must:


1. Disclose to clients or employers significant circumstances that could be construed as a potential or real conflict of interest or an appearance of impropriety.


2. Avoid conduct that could cause a conflict of interest with a client, employer, employee, or the public.


3. Assure that a conflict of interest does not compromise legitimate interests of a client, employer, employee, or the public and does not influence or interfere with professional judgments.


4. Refrain from offering or accepting significant payments, gifts or other forms of compensation or benefits in order to secure work or that are intended to influence professional judgment.


C. Certified Arborist responsibilities concerning public health and safety. Certificants and candidates must:


1. Follow appropriate health and safety procedures, in the course of performing professional activities, to protect clients, employers, employees, and the public from conditions where injury and/or other harm are reasonably foreseeable.


2. Inform appropriate government representatives or agencies when aware of an activity or circumstance that may cause an unsafe condition or violate legal requirements.

ISA HK/China has translated this Code of Ethics into Chinese in the Chinese version of this Station Mail below. It is also published in our English Blog (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com) & Chinese Blog (http://hi.baidu.com/%B9%FA%BC%CA%CA%F7%C4%BE%D1%A7%BB%E1/blog) to announce it publicly in our territory of HK, Macau, Taiwan & China. We want the public to become confident of the professional conduct that a CA will maintain in his/her professional practice. This is also giving further respect to our profession which is now developing rapidly in China.

Anyone who wishes to challenge the unprofessional conduct of a CA, can always report the case to cert@isa-arbor.com . ISA Cert Dept will conduct investigation & take appropriate measures, with penalty as far as certification revocation or even legal pursuit as the case may require. All reports to ISA will be treated in the upmost confidentiality.

We now look forward to the public confidence in the performance of our Certified Arborists, to make our profession trustworthy & respected in our territory.

best regards,

Sammy Au
President (Station Manager) of ISA HK/China
Registered Consulting Arborist no. RCA#497 (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/12/isa-hkchina-first-rca-in-asia.html)
ISA Board Certified Master Arborist / Certified Tree Worker no. HK-0174BT (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2011/03/isa-hkchina-first-bcma-in-asia.html)
Independent Practicing Arborist no. IPA-010908 (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/04/isa-hkchina-hk-tree-news-14410-report.html)

"Providing treatment without in-depth diagnosis & research support is professional misconduct. "


"Casual tree assessor delivers wanton tree assessment. Mother Nature makes the rules."


各位会员:

自2005年起, 本分会已考核了超过了500位的 “注册树艺师” (CA) 在中国地区执业, 由於数量庞大, 当下 CA 应要明白由 ISA 总会所制定的 “专业守则”, 要求每位 CA 都要遵守 :

ISA “注册树艺师”的 “专业守则”


国际树木学会 (ISA) 是一个志愿和非牟利的专业组织。ISA注册立案法团颁发证书给予资历达到ISA注册局认定水平的树艺从业员。


ISA “注册树艺师专业守则”( 简称 “守则”) 适用于所有正在寻求ISA “注册树艺师”的人仕(候证者), 及所有已在ISA登记成为 “注册树艺师” 的人仕(持证者), 不论其已经归附其他专业机构与否,此 “守则”制订了适当和可强制执行的专业操守标准,并向持证者及候证者阐述了其道德行为的最低要求。基于所订标准及要求,本“守则” 也为树艺师和受惠于树艺行业服务的人仕, 提供了专业资询的资源 :

I. 对ISA、树艺行业和公众所需承担的责任:


A. “注册树艺师”要遵从由有关组织所制订的各类规条、政策和法律法规。


持证者及候证者必须:


1. 遵从所有相关法律、法规、政策和规管树艺专业的良好道德标准。


2. 遵守所有已在树艺行业沿用多年的专业标准, 包括各类国立标准和做法。


3. 以准确、完整、和真实的材料去申辨各类牌照注册和续照。


4. 维护ISA评核资料和题材之保密性,禁止非法泄露试题。


5. 给予ISA因道德事项, 和因此而作出搜集讯息之时, 保持充分合作。


6. 如发现有人的行为是违反了此 “守则”或其诉讼程序之时,会於适当时间内向ISA注册局作出报告。


7. 不进行任何违反专业操守、道德行为或相关法规律的行动, 去损害行业利益。


II. 对客户、雇主、雇员和公众承担责任:


A. “注册树艺师” 的专业服务精神; 持证者及候证者必须:


1. 提供安全、称职、客观和独立的专业判断, 给所有人作出考虑决定。


2. 确认自我的专业水平能力, 来提供称职服务。持证者及候证者必须基于自我资格、学养、知识、技能、实践经验和其它相关因素来评估其专业能力去提供服务。


3. 如发觉自我能力不足, 愿意作出努力去把职务转介予业界胜任者。


4. 把工作中的敏感资料保密, 除非:


i. 工作中明显的涉及违法行为; 或


ii. 执法机关下令取得有关信息; 或


iii. 客户或雇主清楚同意发放此等资料; 或


iv. 不公开此等资料将会危害人身安全。


5. 正确使用专业名衔; 对自我的相关学历、工作经验、专业能力和服务水平, 提供真实无误的表述。


6. 对任何宣传、公众声明、相关发表、报价或工作效益的阐述之时,要作出真实无误的表述, 不准包含欺骗成份。


7. 承认和尊重其他人的知识版权, 在自我的工作或研究当中, 以正当的态度去表现出合法合理的行为。


B. “注册树艺师” 在有利益冲突和不当行为之时的责任; 持证者及候证者必须:


1. 在工作上有潜在或实质利益冲突, 或不当行为出现之时, 如实地向客户或雇主披露可能会发生的情况或后果。


2. 回避任何将会导致与客户、雇主、雇员或公众产生利益冲突的行为。


3. 倘有发生与自我利益相冲之时, 确保不会危害客户、雇主、雇员或公众的合法权益,和不会干扰任何专业判断。


4. 不容许采取任何形式含贪污赎职的行为去猎取生意、收取任何利益, 和故意影响专业判断能力。


C. “注册树艺师” 的工作要对公众健康和安全负责; 持证者及候证者必须:


1. 依从合适的工作安全指引来进行其专业活动,切法保护客户、雇主、雇员和公众可能遭受预见的伤害。

2. 在察觉到在工作情况或进行专业活动之时, 可能会发生有造成危害或违反法规的情况下,马上通知相关部门或合适人仕来进行处理。

为向香港、澳门、台湾及中国境内人仕发布以上 “守则”,本分会把中文翻译版本登载于我们的英文博客 (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com) 和中文博客(http://hi.baidu.com/%B9%FA%BC%CA%CA%F7%C4%BE%D1%A7%BB%E1/blog) 里面。 我们为此要让公众了解到作为ISA “注册树艺师” 在工作表现中应有之专业操守,从而加强对我们行业的信任和尊重。高兴的是,树艺行业作为一个专业, 当今已被世界所认识超过一百年了。

任何人若有怀疑“注册树艺师” 存有专业失当行为之时, 可向 cert@isa-arbor.com 作出检举。 ISA注册行政部门将会进行调查及对违反者采取适当查处,直到吊销执照或诉诸法律制裁等等行动。所有检举都会以保密方式处理。

我们期待公众进行监督我们树艺师的行为,从而令我们的专业建立起声誉及期望。

国际树木学会中国地区分会会长

欧永森
顾问树艺师号RCA#497 (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/12/isa-hkchina-first-rca-in-asia.html)
资深树艺师 / 注册攀树师号 HK-0174BT (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2011/03/isa-hkchina-first-bcma-in-asia.html)
执业树艺师号 IPA-010908 (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/04/isa-hkchina-tree-news-14410-report.html)

“没有深入诊断及探究支持去作出治疗,是专业失误。”


“速成出来的树木评估员,只会作出胡乱的树木评估。大自然会决定成败。”


(以上由 “注册树艺师”罗叶明HK-0538A, 和本分会全体委员共同翻译。一切内容以英文版本为准。)






Tuesday, September 13, 2011

ISA HK/China --- Tree Work without Tree Climbing? (不用绳索攀树来修剪大树可以吗?)


国内朋友请使用翻译软件阅读本文 (http://translate.google.com.hk/?hl=en&tab=wT#en
zh-CN), 亦可查閱 "百度博客" (http://hi.baidu.com/%B9%FA%BC%CA%CA%F7%C4%BE%D1%A7%BB%E1/blog ) 以取得本文翻绎本和其他文章。本分会的发表文章都已放弃版权, 任何人都可以自由转载作为教育目的, 但不能作为商业目的盈利。如有查询, 请电邮至 egc@netvigator.com 。


*** Our weekly Station Mail is for the information of Station Members only, but Station Mail has given up copyright & can be freely circulated. For administrative reasons, comments from outsiders are usually not entertained & may be circulated within our system locally & overseas. Please note Station Mail is sometimes given in Blog at http://isahkchina.blogspot.com in English, although images are usually not attached due to size. ***

Dear Station Members,

Given below is a set of local news on Tree Climbing with ropes & harnesses for Tree Work.

Anyone who has conducted tree work would know the danger involved in working aloft to cut down heavy logs. Because there is no two trees in the world with the same branch architecture & strength, the tree worker has to use his skills & judgment above to carry out pruning or removal of tree part above-ground in a safe manner. Safety is always the number one concern. Tree part falling down can injure passer-by, or damage properties. There are many rules & regulations in western countries to govern how proper tree work is to be conducted to an acceptable working standard, e.g. ANSI z133.1 (2006), BS 3893, etc. In ISA, we tend to follow ANSI, as it is updated with the participation of the industry frequently.

If tree climbing with ropes & harnesses is to be replaced by working platform or ladder, would safety level be enhanced? As a seasoned Tree Worker himself who has conducted many tree work operations, the Station Manger (SM) would say "no". This is because the working platform would obstruct the lowering of the cut logs, especially if they are of the large size. Mobile platform installed on a truck will need parking space & a vast working area underneath it. This may not be always possible for roadside trees. Many a times, it is also impractical to erect bamboo platform to prune or cut roadside trees, because road closure is difficult in our urban area.

Working Platform, no matter in a fixed manner like the bamboo lattice, or in the mobile form mounted on a truck, cannot easily penetrate around the branch structures in the tree canopy like a tree climber on rope. If forcing it to enter, the risk of injury to the operator or collapse of the machine itself is high. That's the reason why tree workers are required to be trained with tree climbing around the world to do the work. Arborists are not always sitting in the office, especially the practicing ones.

Ladder has injured more tree workers than when using ropes & hardness. This is because ladder is a straight piece of equipment, & cannot trace the bending structure of a tree. Also, how long be a ladder would one need to reach the top of a 20 m tree? Is there such a ladder as tall & bending, & would the tree worker be able to climb on it so high safely? If not then, is this not against the "spirit" of the CAP 509 Safety Regulations of HK to use ladders?

The solution to working aloft safely should rest on training & adopting proper techniques. Ladder & working platform are not the only solution, & can be impractical. The ISA Certified Tree Worker (CTW) (www.isa-arbor.com) credential was designed to produce quality tree worker to work aloft with internationally recognized techniques & equipment. It was conceived for years to train up qualified tree workers, & to ascertain standards. However very sadly, Arborists in HK have found this credential unattractive, & there is hardly any Govt Contract requiring this basic tree work qualification recognized around the world. Where there is a constant outcry for better safety to work on trees, why can't anybody promote this international qualification to do proper tree work in HK?

ISA HK/China will strongly promote the CTW credential in China in future. Maybe it is only when our brothers & sisters up north have become CTW to do their tree work in a safe & proper way, that they can come down to HK to show the employers there, that using platforms & ladders alone is not the only solution to conduct proper tree work aloft.

best regards,

Sammy Au
President (Station Manager)
Registered Consulting Arborist no. RCA#497 (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/12/isa-hkchina-first-rca-in-asia.html)
ISA Board Certified Master Arborist / Certified Tree Worker no. HK-0174BT (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2011/03/isa-hkchina-first-bcma-in-asia.html)
Independent Practicing Arborist no. IPA-010908 (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/04/isa-hkchina-hk-tree-news-14410-report.html)

"Providing treatment without in-depth diagnosis & research support is professional misconduct. "

"Casual tree assessor delivers wanton tree assessment. Mother Nature makes the rules."


各位会员:

请参阅本文后面的有关在修树工作中, 使用绳索和保护带爬树的附带消息。

任何做过修树工作的人, 都认识到在高空移除粗大枝条的危险性。 因为在世界上没有二棵树是有相同的分干结构或支撑力, 所以修树工作者需运用他的技能及判断力把处于高空的支条安全地移除。 此时, 安全是首要的任务, 因为坠落的支条可伤及途人或破坏财物。 在西方国家, 已有很多规则和条例去规范修树工作, 以达至可接受的标准, 例如ANSI z133.1(2006), BS3893等等。

如果使用工作台或梯架来代替绳索和保护带来爬树, 会否提升安全性呢? 对于一个富于修树经验的人来说, 包括本分会长在内, 答案是〝不会〞的。 因为工作台会妨碍被移除的支条下降, 特别是粗大的支条。 装置在车上的活动工作台需要地方停泊车辆, 而在其下面需要一个广大的工作空间。 这对于种植在马路旁的大树来说, 可能没有足够空间仃放了。 很多时候, 使用棚架工作台去修剪马路旁的树更是没有可能, 因为我们繁忙的市区马路是不可能为此来封闭的。

无论是一个固定的或活动的工作平台, 都不能像一个使用绳索爬树的树木工作者, 能灵活地穿插在树上枝条架构之中。 如果要将工作台强塞到枝条架构内, 那么树木工作者会受伤或工作台会倒塌。 这就是为何世界各地都要训练树木工作者要使用绳索爬树的原因了。

转用梯架来代替攀树可能危险性更高。 因为梯架是直的, 不能跟随分支来改变方向前进。 哪攀爬一棵20米的树需要多长的梯架呢? 如真的如此长的梯架, 多少人会有足够够胆量去使用呢? 怎样去保证这个人不会掉下来了? 滑足又怎麽办? 怎样去救? 哪这有否违反了〝香港法例CAP509职安健条例〞的安全精神吗?

训练正确使用攀树技术是达致树上安全工作的唯一方法。 国际树木学会的 “注册攀树师” (Certifed Tree Worker, www.isa-arbor.com) 资格, 是为训练优质的树木工作者而设, 令其懂得使用国际认可的技术和装备在树上工作。 但可惜的是, 这资格甚少吸引香港的树艺师投考, 同时几乎没有政府的外判合同中要求这个基本的树木工作资历。 当社会上经常要求树上安全工作之时, 为甚么没有人出来去认同这国际认可的资格呢? 香港的做法令人 “丈八金刚” 吧!

本分会将会在中国大陆极力推广“注册攀树师” 资格; 可能在不久将来, 我们的大陆同胞在取得这个资历之后, 会调过头来香港, 展示给哪里的树艺师同业们, 看看单靠工作台和梯架是否能执行正确树木工作呢?

谨此致意!

国际树木学会中国地区分区会会长
欧永森
顾问树艺师号RCA#497
(http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/12/isa-hkchina-rca-in-asia.html)
资深树艺师/注册攀树师号HK-0174BT
(http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2011/03/isa-hkchina-frist-bcma-in-asia.html)
执业树艺师号IPA-010908
(http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/04/isa-hkchina-tree-news-1441-report.htuml)

“不深入诊断和参照研究来批出处方,是专业失当。 ”


“速成出来的树木评估员,只会作出胡乱的树木评估。 大自然会决定成败。”


(以上由霍健, 香港注册房屋经理R.P.H.M.-119翻译。 一切内容以英文版本为准。)

勞處責康文署漠視人命

政府管理樹木不善一直被人詬病,有工會踢爆康樂及文化事務署未有提供鋸樹手套給員工,而遭勞工處警告。工會又質疑,署方不應叫員工用繩 索爬樹,勞工處也說,檢查樹木應用合適的工作台或梯,要求康文署加強安全管理。

過去曾有康文署員工用繩索爬樹,工會關注有關安全情況。

工會透露,勞工處職業安全主任去年八月巡視完鯉魚門公園及度假村後向康文署發出警告信:「根據職業安全及健康條例第五○九章第六條,僱主均 須在合理切實可行範圍內,確保工作中的僱員安全及健康,例如提供安全鋸樹手套及確保員工在工作中佩戴適當個人用具。」

該用工作台 屢反映無理會

勞工處去年十二月再去信康文署,指巡視過鯉魚門公園及度假村、清水灣第二灣泳灘、摩理臣山游泳池、大埔運動場、九龍城體育館後,提醒康文署 加強安全管理,特別是提供適當個人保護裝備,而在外判修剪樹木工作時,康文署亦要建立有效監察制度,確保外判商保障工人安全。

工會質疑署方不應叫員工用繩索爬樹,而應用工作台,工會多次向署方反映,但是,署方並無理會。

鋸樹電油屬危險品隨處放

工會續稱,用來鋸樹的電鋸,所用的電油屬危險品,但只是存放在康文署場地士多房,對前線員工來說十分危險。

康文署回應說,樹藝工作人員會視乎實際環境,採用適當的方法和設備護理樹木,如有需要會使用工作台進行高空工作,該署亦有提供專用手套供員 工鋸樹時用。

康文署承認,電鋸用的電油屬第五類危險品,豁免量為二十升,即二十升以下不需要向消防處申請危險品倉儲存牌照。該署人員一般會將電油儲存在 危險品倉庫,而電鋸內小量電油,因為其容量屬於豁免範圍,人員會按照場地實際情況儲存。

勞工處則稱,為確保樹藝工作人員不會在工作時從高處墮下,僱主及承辦商應作風險評估,訂定安全施工方法,包括使用合適工作台或梯。

立法會議員陳淑莊說,不時收到康文署員工訴說裝備不足,她認為該署要多加留意,「不要攞人命較飛」,她亦不鼓勵該署員工隨便用繩索爬樹。