Rank: New forum user 
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Hi, We have an issue at present with disposal of waste wood (broken pallets). We have someone who will collect and remove from site, but he will need to use his own electric saw (battery powered) to cut it up while still in our yard. How do we stand as an organisation and is there any guidelines for this type of work? Would a simple sign off to state he is competent to use saw and is aware of safety hazards while using it be ok? He will be under control of our personnel and will not be allowed anywhere else on site.
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Rank: Forum user
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He is acting as a contractor carrying out work on your behalf so all the normal duty of care towards such workers will apply. Risk assessment and method statement from him plus whatever local contractor control procedures you have would be appropriate. Assuming that the saw would not be classed as a chainsaw then I don't know if there are any recognised qualifications for use of such tools, perhaps one to throw back to his employer. Ask them how they ensure the guy is competent to use the saw and see what they say.
The whole act of cutting up a pallet before removal seems fairly unusual to me. We stockpile our broken pallets in a specific area until enough build up that a company comes and takes them away for to be re-built for onwards sale by them. I would shy away from on-site processing of this kind simply because it brings with it all of the above supervision headaches. Perhaps the contract as a whole needs to be looked at? If you have any kind of environmental certification then recycling would be much preferred to chopping them up presumably for burning? Beware of your Duty of care on waste. Is he a registered waste carrier etc? Sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs here.
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Rank: New forum user
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Thanks for that. It is roughly what i was thinking with regard to how we controlled him.
I had not taken into account the issue of waste disposal though. He is cutting pallets so they will fit on his truck. Think we will have to look at whole process a bit more carefully and make an organisational decision on how we dispose of wood.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Just to be the harbinger of doom and gloom again......
This wood is classified as waste and, therefore, should be removed from site by a Licensed Waste Contractor or someone with an Environmental permit to do so for the purposes of recycling. With your waste you have cradle to grave responsibility, so if Joe Bloggs picks it up from your site in his truck and dumps it in the local canal... you are responsible.
It's a pain I know because with things like wood, if he is going to use and it's free it always seems like such a great idea, but the Law is the Law and deviations could get you into hot water.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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If you sell this person the wood and then charge him and equivalent amount in rent for the space would this then resolve the "waste" problem?
As a tenant he would then not be a contractor but self-employed (or employed by another company) and risk-free!!!!
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Rank: Super forum user
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You could toss them over the fence and say they were stolen, but on a serious note it is not difficult to get a Waste Carries Licence. It’s more of a register than a licence.
A word of warning not all pallets are suitable for burning in domestic fires as they do not reach a high enough temperature to break down the glues and paints used.
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Rank: Super forum user
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additionally make sure that he is competent to use the saw that he is using especially if it is a chain saw & if it is a chain saw he will need the proper boots, trousers etc.
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