Requirements for Working landfill site's

[Davy T 3]

Hi . I have mentioned pest control in a previous post some time ago .....Since then my circumstances have changed as i was made redundant...So i was thinking about doing avain pest control as a full time job... I know trying to make a living out of your hobby is or could be a big no,no but i do feel iam making the right decision , I already have the birds and falconry equipment as i fly Harrises anyway .....So i was wondering what requirements would be needed to work on landfill site's...is there anything other than public liabillity insurance , what about licenses ,How do you price jobs . again any help would be appreciated....

[Guest buster321c]

Risk assessment , A must if its a council job

indg163_1_.pdf

[stubby 175]

price wise I'd suggest you just quote, what you'd be happy with for a days work, remembering traveling expensise too

[goshawking719 492]

Landfill is really the domain of longwings, not harrises....

[Netter 0]

My mate was offered a job on a landfill site doing this, but he too keeps harris hawks and said these aren't up to the job, and so he would have to get other birds.

 

I agreed with everything my mate said when I didn't really know what he was on about, so could somebody please tell me what goes on with falconers and landfill sites?

[Davy T 3]

Landfill is really the domain of longwings, not harrises....

Well i cant comment to much on this, but i know of three falconers who work landfills and they each use harrises , i aint saying they are the best for the job but this is what they use .

[Davy T 3]

price wise I'd suggest you just quote, what you'd be happy with for a days work, remembering traveling expensise too

Cheers Stubby.

[Matt 160]

Most waste site operators (which are usually privately owned) tender for pest control services, which will usually include rodent and fly control as part of the contract.

 

They will be looking for properly qualified pest controllers, who have full insurance, and documented safe systems of work.

 

You should also consider holiday and sickness cover - which is why few of them go for small companies when awarding contracts. The usual specification also includes BPCA membership.

 

I've priced a few of these type of jobs, and it is just a case of working out the time requirement and pricing accordingly.

 

I would suggest that you would be better off offering sub-contract services to the bigger companies.....

[dean 11]

all the sites are taken by 1 or2 companies and you will findit hard to beat them dont think its a fun job on a lot of sites its a long day boring to do you dont fly the birds all the time so u have long gaps and you are there from dusk till dawn harrises can do the job butyou cant beat falcons i wouldnt go for it myself look for a differant angle in this field of work i can say this because iv had these contracts and wouldnt do them again and if you want time off you need it covered and thats a nightmare believe me

[zig zag wanderer 0]

On a landfill site I assume you're looking at gull control. I believe falcons are better than hawks because they soar at high altitude so that they have an affect over a larger area. The Harris would work it's jessies off trying to cover the whole site.

 

I'm not a raptor expert but I do a fair bit of gull control (not with birds of course).

 

I don't see why you shouldn't go for it though. There is certainly no need for trade membership and risk assessments would be minimal so basic insurance should be ok but that would depend on the site manager's stipulations. Just a matter of following site rules and a bit of common sense.

 

Flying raptors must be pretty low on the pest control risk assessment. There can't be much to go wrong apart from losing your bird.

Edited November 18, 2008 by zig zag wanderer

[Matt 160]

I don't see why you shouldn't go for it though. There is certainly no need for trade membership and risk assessments would be minimal so basic insurance should be ok but that would depend on the site manager's stipulations. Just a matter of following site rules and a bit of common sense.

 

Flying raptors must be pretty low on the pest control risk assessment. There can't be much to go wrong apart from losing your bird.

 

Sorry, but I have to disagree....

 

Landfill sites tend to be run by large companies (Biffa, Onyx, etc) who have complex health and safety policies.

 

They are also quite dangerous places to work, with disease risk, gas, moving machinery etc, etc. Risk assessments for Landfill work tend to be huge. There is quite a lot that can 'go wrong'.

 

The majority of contracts are put out to tender, and most tenders include a requirement that you should be a member of a relevant trade association.

 

You could sub contract - as someone else has already pointed out, getting cover for holiday and sickness can be a real pain.

[zig zag wanderer 0]

Firstly stipulating trade membership would be illegal.

 

Many site PC contracts will go to large companies but these often don't fly birds so there would be nothing to lose by asking.

 

Risk assessment would be as simple as following site rules. I wouldn't think the birdman would even need to be that close as it would be the bird flying the site not the handler.

 

Read the site rules, put on the hard hat and day-glo derek and launch your bird.............

[Matt 160]

Firstly stipulating trade membership would be illegal.

 

No it isn't. It is standard practice. I think you are getting confused with the OJEC rules which stipulate that you cannot name a trade organisation if it is a government contract. Private companies can stipulate what they like.

 

Many site PC contracts will go to large companies but these often don't fly birds so there would be nothing to lose by asking.

 

The five top pest control companies offer bird services.

 

Risk assessment would be as simple as following site rules. I wouldn't think the birdman would even need to be that close as it would be the bird flying the site not the handler.

 

That is not a risk assessment. You would have to produce site specific, task specific risk assessments which identify all the potential hazards, their pre control risk rating and their post control risk rating. Standard practice following the safety and health at work regulations 1999.

 

Read the site rules, put on the hard hat and day-glo derek and launch your bird.............

 

Not that simple.

[zig zag wanderer 0]

Stipulating trade membership is illegal.

 

The fact that they do it doesn't make it legal.

 

Risk assessment would be as simple as following site rules. I wouldn't think the birdman would even need to be that close as it would be the bird flying the site not the handler.

 

I didn't word that very well. I realise that a written RA would probably be required. My point was that that actual risk as far as pest control is concerned would be slight so a basic RA would suffice and would be similar to thier site rules. I'm assuming of course that access to the working site where the plant machinery is would not be required. Otherwise it might take more than a RA to get on there at all without some on-site training.

 

Either way there is nothing to be lost by asking.

Edited November 19, 2008 by zig zag wanderer