The ARB Approved Contractor scheme is a voluntary register run by the Arboricultural Association. No law requires a tree surgeon to be on it, and the register is a useful check but not a guarantee of the work you will receive. Tree surgery is high-risk work, and you will often see "ARB Approved Contractor" on vans and websites when you are looking to hire a professional. This guide explains what the Arboricultural Association's voluntary scheme involves, what the online register can and cannot show you, and exactly how to check a tree surgeon's credentials before a project begins.
What the ARB Approved Contractor scheme is
The Arboricultural Association runs the ARB Approved Contractor scheme to assess businesses that carry out tree work. The Arboricultural Association states that contractors in its directory have submitted their businesses and tree work for assessment and were found competent to provide contracting services. The directory page describes the scheme as "the only comprehensive accreditation for arboricultural contractors (tree surgeons) in the UK". That is the Association's own description of its scheme, not a finding by anyone else.
The directory page says every Approved Contractor has been "thoroughly assessed in tree work and health and safety" and that customers are assured of "high-quality tree care undertaken safely and professionally". Those are the Association's words about its own scheme, and they describe the assessment rather than any particular job. The Association also says the standards for Approved Contractors "are regularly reviewed".
The Association says the reviews reflect contemporary arboricultural research findings, legislative and health and safety requirements, business practices and customer expectations.
No law requires a tree surgeon to join the scheme. A listing on the register tells you the Association assessed the business, and it does not cover anything beyond that assessment.
What the Arboricultural Association assesses
When a tree surgeon applies for the ARB Approved Contractor scheme, they must pass a thorough assessment. This assessment covers four main areas of their business and their daily operations on site.
First, the assessment covers the understanding and practical application of current arboricultural practice. Second, the assessment covers legislative compliance.
Third, it covers health and safety compliance. This health and safety element is explicitly endorsed by the CHAS scheme. Finally, the Arboricultural Association says its assessment covers high levels of service to clients through efficient business management.
Each Approved Contractor must name a principal or manager who is responsible to the Association for the company's standards. Once a tree surgeon passes the initial assessment, the process does not stop there. Approved Contractors undergo reassessment at regular intervals to confirm standards are maintained over time, though no specific interval is stated.
The assessment is of the business and its tree work. The register shows contact and area details for each firm. It is not a record of the individual qualifications held by every person who might arrive to do the work, and the Association's page gives no reassessment interval, so a listing does not tell you how recently a particular firm was last assessed.
Insurance the scheme requires
The ARB Approved Contractor scheme sets minimum insurance requirements for the firms it approves. The figures below come from the Association's own page.
The scheme requires Public Liability insurance with a minimum cover of £5,000,000. The policy must have a maximum excess of £250 in any one incident. Employers' Liability insurance is also required as applicable, at a level suited to the size of the business.
Furthermore, Professional Indemnity insurance of a minimum £500,000 may be required if the contractor provides independent written advice to their clients. These minimums are part of the scheme's requirements, but the Association is clear about what the online directory does not prove.
The Association says directory inclusion should not be regarded as proof of current insurance cover. The page adds that clients should obtain evidence of insurance from the contractor and/or their broker before entering a contract. A directory listing is therefore not a substitute for that evidence.
What HSE says about chainsaw training
Tree surgery relies heavily on chainsaws, and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) sets out clear guidelines and legal duties for their use. HSE says chainsaws are potentially dangerous machines which can cause fatal injuries if not used correctly.
The risks of chainsaw work
HSE says most fatal and major injuries involve chainsaw operators taking shortcuts and not following good practice guidance. Working on the ground with a chainsaw is a high risk activity. Operators are also required to wear appropriate chainsaw protective clothing whenever they use a chainsaw.
Hazards and site management
HSE's tree work page lists the safety hazards as:
- Aerial work
- Chainsaws
- Machinery
- Working at height
- Vehicles
Its site management topics include:
- Training
- Lone working
- Public safety
- First aid
- Traffic management
Training and competency certificates
HSE states that anyone who uses a chainsaw at work should have received adequate training and be competent in using a chainsaw for the type of work that they are required to do. By law, chainsaw operators must have received adequate training relevant to the type of work they undertake, though the HSE page does not name a specific regulation.
Staff should have the training, experience and a competency certificate relevant to the task they are undertaking. HSE specifically notes that people with only CS 30/31 with little additional experience can quickly face situations beyond their skills. The Association's scheme pages do not say how chainsaw training is tested, so approval is not evidence of training for a particular task.
Your legal duty as a client
HSE says: "Your employer must make sure you are trained and competent to do the work." For people who hire contractors, HSE says that as the client, you will be responsible for checking that any contractor you appoint is competent to do the work safely.
If you employ contractors, you have a legal duty to make sure they are competent to do the work you want them to do. The duty sits with the person who employs the contractor.
What approval proves and what it does not
The table below compares what an ARB Approved Contractor listing proves against what it does not prove.
|
What approval proves |
What approval does not prove |
|---|---|
|
The firm was assessed |
Current insurance cover |
|
A named manager is responsible |
Quality of a particular job |
|
Insurance minimums are a scheme requirement |
A fixed price for your project |
|
The firm is listed on the register |
That a tree can be cut without permission |
Approval shows a business was assessed by the Association. The Association's wording is about an assessment of the business, so a listing should be read as a statement about that business and its named manager rather than about a person or a job. It does not show that the firm's insurance is current today, how well a particular job will be done, or what it will cost. It also does not settle whether a tree can be cut without permission, which is a separate question covered in the protected trees section below. HSE sets out the legal duty to check competence separately from the register.
How to check a tree surgeon on the register
If you see the ARB Approved Contractor credential on a van, a leaflet, or a website, you should verify it before you hire the firm. The ARB Approved Contractor Directory provides a public search tool to confirm a firm's status.
- Open the ARB Approved Contractor Directory online.
- Choose the Residential and Commercial tab.
- Search by the business name if you already have a quote, a flyer, or a recommendation.
- Alternatively, search by your postcode to find local firms, setting the radius to 15 miles (25 km), 31 miles (50 km) or 62 miles (100 km).
- Confirm the firm appears in the search results, as a firm not on the register is not approved.
- Review the listing, which shows the business name, address, area covered, managers, phone, email and website, though some listings omit fields.
- Ask the contractor for evidence of their current insurance cover before entering a contract.
Once a listing appears, use its phone, email or website to contact the firm. Ask which named manager is responsible to the Association for the company's standards, and ask for evidence of insurance. Some listings omit fields.
Tree preservation orders
Rules on protected trees exist and a separate guide covers whether you need permission to cut down a tree.
Common questions
Is a contractor approved if they are not on the online register?
The directory page says some contractors claim to be an Approved Contractor when they are not. A contractor who does not appear on the online register is not an Approved Contractor, regardless of what their marketing materials might say.
How do you report a false claim of approval?
If you find a business using the credential without being on the register, you can report them to the Arboricultural Association. To report someone falsely claiming approval, the directory page says to contact admin@trees.org.uk.
Are there different types of approved contractors in the directory?
Yes, the directory has two tabs, one for Residential and Commercial and another for Utilities. Utility contractors specialise in utility arboriculture, which covers trees alongside power lines, railways, waterways and telecoms.
Is it legal to hire a tree surgeon who is not on the register?
Being on the register is not a legal requirement. A firm that does not appear on it is not an Approved Contractor, and HSE's legal duty for people who employ contractors still applies.
Does the directory prove a firm is insured?
No. The Association says a listing is not proof of current cover. Evidence should come from the contractor or their broker, and it should be obtained before a contract is entered into. The page that says so shows a last-modified date of 06/07/2023.
Can you search the directory by postcode?
Yes. You can search by business name or by postcode, and a postcode search lets you choose how far around it to look.
How often is an Approved Contractor reassessed?
The Association says Approved Contractors undergo reassessment at regular intervals to confirm standards are maintained. The page gives no interval.
What does a directory listing show?
A listing shows the business name, address, area covered, managers, phone, email and website, though some listings omit fields.
Can the directory data be used to send marketing emails?
The ARB Approved Contractor Directory page says the directory data may not be used for marketing purposes by any companies or individuals. Failure to adhere to this rule may result in being reported to the Information Commissioners Officer or facing legal action.
Prices
The assessment the Association describes covers current arboricultural practice, legislative compliance, health and safety compliance (endorsed by the CHAS scheme) and efficient business management. That list does not mention price. For what tree work can cost, read our guide to how much tree removal costs.
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