2021 is our learning year: Chainsaw usage certificate in Japan

Hello, first, Happy New Year!

I’ve received an enquiry about chainsaw training session. So, this week is a follow-up of my previous post on January 18, 2019. 

When you plan to use your chainsaw skills in Japan for earning money, you need to attend a course with curriculum defined by Occupation Safety and Health Regulations, and receive a card certifying you’ve completed the course. The regulation became strict from August 1, 2020. You’d better follow the law, I tell you. It’s normally 2 days course at the cost around JPY 20,000. Content-wise, the course is not difficult. There is no exam. Many people attend the course with company money. Some spend their two days napping … er … of course, there are lots of serious learners, too. 😅 In any case, having explanation about mechanics and safety techniques for such a powerful killing machine is very useful. I think I’m using my education for chainsaw almost regularly during my weekend activities in the forest.

The revised law goes like this: any employer who hired somebody without this certificate for tasks with chainsaw will be criminally charged, and the employee without the certificate who is injured, or has trouble in the field, including dispute with landlords like “You’ve cut down this tree and damaged this part of my property! (Yelling, yelling, yelling …)” will be arrested as a trespasser, intruder, and a criminal of inflicting injury. Of course, you can have some pocket money in a black market without certificate, if you like. But Japan is a small country. Such activity especially in rural parts must call attention from locals where people also have serious economic impacts of COVID just like in downtown. Sooner or later police will come.

Pro’s work

This “legal requirement” does not apply for volunteers who DO NOT earn money from yielding chainsaw. Even though, just recently (actually about 2 months ago), several volunteers without proper certificate did their fun “chainsaw weekend” in a part of Tanzawa mountains, and sure enough the locals asked police to inspect their activities. It’s now a scandal among the community of forest volunteers here in Kanagawa. I guess people in this episode will have extremely hard time to find their next “weekend fun” place. So, my advice is, when you plan to use your chainsaw skill in Japan other than in your property (; it’s your place, and you can use it as you like, basically … oh, though, you cannot use your accident insurance if something happens), you’d better have that certificate.

The problem could be, the entire course is only in Japanese. No English course, as long as I know. There is no restriction in nationality etc. for attending the course. I think we must be older than 15 … you’d better ask organizers about age restriction … You see? Rural Japan can sometime be very yesteryear place, especially for such things like “legal / governmental matters.” Internationalization in Japanese forest could be very new subject for each city hall and national government. But if we raise our voices, new things may happen. Everybody knows, we need lots of hands to keep our forests healthy. And Japan is aging rapidly = number of Japanese who can be active in forests are diminishing daily. Why not asking helpers?

The courses for chainsaw certificate are organized by several entities. Some are by private companies and the other by associations of forestry industry in each prefecture. For certificate issuance, all are certified by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. The lecturers and instructors are also national license holders of labor safety education. For private courses, below 3 are popular.

Kobelco
https://www.kobelco-kyoshu.com/batsuboku_special/

Komatsu (Yeah, that company of forklift trucks, et al)
https://www.komatsu-kyoshujo.co.jp/KkjReservation/Subjects/special/CourseDetailSpecialFelling.aspx

Caterpillar (ditto!)
https://cot.jpncat.com/know/?no=32

It seems to me private courses are now waiting for the effect of COVID-19 gone ... I could not find the planned date for their event at least during the next few months.

Having said that, it happens Kanagawa Branch of Forestry and Timber Manufacturing Safetyand Health Association 林業・木材製造業労働災害防止協会 will have the course on 16th and 17th of March 2021 (two days session) at Radian Center of Ninomiya Town, near the City of Odawara 小田原. Here is some detail:

<Date and Time>

March 16 (Lecture and Practice) 9:30-19:15
March 17 (Lecture and Practice) 9:00-18:45

<Place>

Ninomiya Lifetime Learning Center Radian, Meeting Room #2
1240-10 Ninomiya, Ninomiya-cho, Naka-gun, Kanagawa, 259-0123

二宮町生涯学習センター「ラディアン」ミーティングルーム#2
〒259-0123 神奈川県中郡二宮町二宮1240-10

* 7 minutes’ walk from JR Ninomiya Station.
* If you need parking, please use the space in Ninomiya Town Hall next to Radian.

<Cost>

JPY 20,000 (for two days’ course, including the cost of textbooks, certificate, and tax)

<How to register?>

First, please call Mr. Suzuki or Mr. Hirasawa for Kanagawa Branch to ask registration form, payment method, etc. The phone number is

045-261-3731

Email: kanagawa@kenmokuren.com

The number of seats is limited, especially now due to COVID-19. The payment deadline is March 1st, but first come, first served. Good luck!

If you find environmental issues in Kanagawa Prefecture, please make a contact with Kanagawa Natural Environment Conservation Center 神奈川県自然環境保全センター

657 Nanasawa, Atsugi City, 243-0121
〒243－0121　厚木市七沢657
Phone: 046-248-0323

You can send an enquiry to them by clicking the bottom line of their homepage at http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/div/1644/