If you work as a professional gardener or you have a large garden that has high mature hedges within it then you will undoubtedly need to prune, cut or trim them through the year to keep up with the maintenance - if you miss the defined maintenance period it can lead to some major remedial work later on.
Anyone who has let hedge maintenance slip for a season will know how difficult it is to get back on the right track. A season of hedge growth can be explosive and accessibility to the hedge seriously impeded.
Getting up to the correct working height and being close enough to the hedge is not only be physically difficult but it can also be extremely dangerous. It is imperative that you are well prepared for the job.
In a domestic situation, the operator of a machine such as a hedge cutter with sharp reciprocating blades has a duty of care to themselves and those around them but is not governed by the strict safety legislation that a professional gardener, employed directly in a tied situation or as a contractor on a multi site basis.
However, there is no reason why anyone who is working in a domestic situation should expose themselves to any greater risk than a professional and, whilst any person who is working in his or her own garden might not physically write out a risk assessment, a mental and visual inspection of the proposed work should always be completed.
If one assumes that the machinery is in good and safe working order and that appropriate clothing is worn, what does an operator use to gain access to the work if it is not accessible from the ground?
If any hedge, tree or shrub is only a few feet tall then we can assume that there is nothing safer than working at ground level. If there is a need to stretch ever so slightly because it is not possible to reach a few ends or the far side of a hedge then an upturned milk crate is a strong option - anything above this and you should be considering approved access equipment.
Having worked in garden maintenance for all of my working life I have seen (and constructed) many a contraption that has enabled one to gain height to prune a tree or cut a hedge - often having to work quickly and efficiently to maintain profitability and also provide the client with value for money. Needless to say, there are times when safety can be compromised and that is when accidents happen. I am now much older (and wiser) and certainly not inclined to take any kind of unnecessary risk and I need to feel safe.
I hate working at any height and, if I feel unsafe when working, I find it leads to tension in my legs and arms, which itself I feel leads to greater risk.
I wanted an access platform that provided me with stability, strength and peace of mind when I am standing on the top so I researched what was on the market. The one manufacturer that constantly came up was Henchman.
I have attended heavens knows how many Saltex shows at Windsor (and Motspur Park) and I have tried out the Henchman under contrived and sterile conditions but never in the field of battle - so to speak.
My intention was to talk with the guys on the Henchman stand last September but - and this might be a hint at their market position - the queue of people was long and I missed the opportunity.
Three weeks ago I contacted the company directly because I have some tasks to do that does require me to work in some tricky situations. I spoke with Tom Kitching and explained my need and it was agreed that the Henchman aluminium Hi-Step Midi with adjustable Legs was probably the most appropriate.
Delivery
Firstly, the delivery was very smooth and quick coming just four days after I placed my order. Bear in mind that I live in South West France and the goods had, firstly, to be delivered to the distributor who is responsible for the French Territory. I have the latest modifications and I am the first to use this latest system (more about that in a minute).
Assembly
I was initially frustrated here because the instructions had been photo copied and the diagrams of the finished product and the assembly procedure were faded to the point of being non-existent. I reverted to the Henchman website in order to visualise the finished article so as not to make any mistakes. However, as it turned out, the procedure is fairly self explanatory and with the use of simple colour coded stickers, placing the component parts in the wrong places is almost impossible to do.
Once I had laid out the parts (keeping the extender legs well away so as not to confuse the issue) I proceeded to plug in the various sections. I did notice some tension with the top connecting bar as I inserted them into the appropriate port. This made the platform difficult to locate and I did need some physical pressure.
Once assembled and the platform pushed into its sockets, I did not get the feeling that the integrity and strength of the construction was diminished in any way - my only concern is, after a few months of use, would the lightweight aluminium suffer from the stress and weaken or buckle in any way? (see the curved bar in the photograph)
I tightened up the nuts and inserted the 'R' clips to hold the legs in place - the total assembly time was about thirty minutes (this could have been reduced if the diagram had been clearer) - once assembled, it take a few seconds to open or close the platform for erection or transportation.
Adjusting the legs
Leg adjustment is simple by pulling out the 'R' clip and sliding the stainless steel leg until you are satisfied it is correct for the application. Finer adjustment can be achieved by screwing or unscrewing the large nylon feet.
In my case, I have the latest system that locks the legs of the platform at the required distance apart. The older models have rigid telescopic bars. The latest type makes it easy to close the platform for transportation; easily achievable if you are alone.
It is imperative that these bars are locked into place to prevent the legs from moving or closing when mounting the ladder. The platform that the operator stands on is fitted with two locating lugs on the underneath that fit over the top of the cross bar to secure it in place.
Stability and construction
If you do not suffer with vertigo you are not going to understand what it feels like to be frozen with fear at heights as low is ten feet. In my case, the insecurity of working at height is the hardest part.
Climbing the Henchman for the first time I certainly felt trepidations but after a couple of minutes on the top platform eases the tension. There is flexibility and movement in the aluminium frame which is a little disconcerting to start with but it soon passed.
I leaned out from the cradle with confidence. The splay of the front legs, together with their span lends itself for an extremely stable platform. The greatest part is that there is space to move around on top - which is so much different from standing at the top of a ladder pushing ones knees into the rungs to stay steady. I understand that the platform can handle twenty five stone comfortably.
There is a strap with sprung loaded clips that is supposed to be secured behind the operator but I am not to sure what security this brings to the user. I certainly would not rely on it to stop me falling out the back (additional note: Having returned to the platform I do concede that the strap will indicate, via touch, that the operator is moving backwards and the strap will act as an alert.
All of the welds look extremely strong and the entire structure is very well designed but I would add that some holes - for locating nuts and bolts and 'R' clips - were not aligned fully.
Portability
I have the aluminium Hi-Step Midi so I cannot speak for the steel version but I have to say that moving the structure around is easy. On first impressions the access platform looks big and heavy but I found it easy to lift and shift the short distances needed to shuffle along a hedge and when transported in the closed position it becomes even easier.
Applications
I have tested the platform on a tree pruning job and also on the side of my workshop where I needed to replace some weather boards. For both jobs I found that the Henchman was up to the task.
For pruning my Lime tree I used the standard height and managed the job with ease. Stability of the Henchman and accessibility to the working area helped me to focus directly on the job in hand rather than worrying about my safety whilst operating. I even took the time to do a bit of sightseeing as I was up that little bit higher.
For the workshop I added the extensions. Again, to start with I found the height of working to be daunting for me. However, this is an operator fault line and nothing to do with the Henchman. Once I had become used to being up there I gained a great deal of confidence from the construction of the tool.
As I was working on a slight slope of the old farm yard I had to adjust the feet to keep the platform level. Once again, adjustment was easy and speedy and I could get back to work quickly.
Lifting with the extra bulk and height made movement a little trickier but I would suggest that if you were working at the greater height - perhaps with the High-Step Maxi, you should be accompanied by a co-worker who may assist with moving or purchase the trolley wheels to help port the platform around.
On speaking to Henchman I understand that all of the High-Step range are made with the same construction methods but differ in height for different working applications.
In summary
I had a couple of niggles in respect of drilled holes and their alignment (two sets of fixed bolts were put in the wrong way round for fixing the telescopic supports for the extension causing metal to rub together)
And, apart from my disappointment on not being able to read the diagrams properly, I am impressed with the quality and usability of the Henchman and thus far, it definitely stands out as being a great professional product for the hedge cutting market and I have every confidence in recommending it.
Henchman Ltd
Address: Manor Farm | Hannington | Tadley | Hampshire | RG26 5TZ
Telephone: 00 44 (0) 1635 299847
Fax: 00 44 (0) 1635 299024
Email: info@henchman.co.uk
Website: www.henchman.co.uk
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