Battery powered handheld machinery - Find a freedom of information request

Request
  1. An asset list of all current petrol and battery powered handheld machinery used within your inventory with information about the make and model numbers of units and age per machine. I would like to request that this information is focused on brush cutters, blowers, chainsaws, hedge trimmers, combi-tools, pole pruners, backpack blowers and any other handheld machinery within your assets.
  2. If the council has not purchased any new battery powered handheld outdoor machinery when the need to buy more equipment has arisen (since July 2018), what was the reason to continue purchasing petrol powered handheld machinery?
  3. The total amount of fuel in litres purchased since 24 July 2018 for use in two-stroke outdoor powered equipment as listed in Information Request one. 
  4. How often are the machines listed in Information Request one regularly serviced?
  5. How many schools and health trusts facilities are maintained using the equipment listed in Information Request 1 for tasks such as leaf blowing, tree surgery, brush cutting and hedge trimming?
  6. Do you keep records of usage of machinery for the purpose of hand arm vibration regulations, if so please can you detail the hours of usage associated with each machine as well as how many people are trained to operate these machines for council related work throughout the year?

Does the local authority monitor the occupational health risks associated with operator’s exposure to the inhalation of Particulate Matter (PM2.5) emissions from two-stroke machinery?

Decision

Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information 2000 does not oblige a public authority to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying with the request would exceed the appropriate limit. The appropriate limit is currently £450 or 18 hours at a cost of £25 per hour.

The exemption under section 12 is not subject to the public interest test

Any refined request will be treated as a new request under the Freedom of Information Act.

Reference number
FOI0850
Date request received
14 November 2019
Date of decision
29 November 2019