Treeworks Marketplace

Buying & selling safely

Every sale here is a private sale between you and the other party. Tree industry gear carries safety-critical risks that most classifieds don't - this page covers the ones that matter most before you buy or sell.

Chainsaw PPE and life-support climbing gear

  • •Chainsaw protective leg wear should meet AS/NZS 4453.3, along with a helmet, eye and hearing protection, gloves and boots suited to the job. Check labelling and condition, not just the price.
  • •Harnesses, climbing ropes, karabiners, connectors and other life-support or fall-arrest gear are safety-critical. Never buy this kind of gear second-hand without full provenance (age, history, any falls or damage) and a proper inspection by someone competent to judge it.
  • •If a seller can't tell you the age, history or standard a piece of PPE or rigging gear meets, treat that as a reason to walk away, not a reason to negotiate.

Firewood honesty

  • •Seasoned firewood is dry wood, generally understood to be at or below about 20% moisture content. A cheap moisture meter or a simple knock test can tell you a lot before you pay for a load.
  • •"Trailer load" is not a measured unit and different trailers hold very different volumes. Ask the seller to confirm the volume in cubic metres, not just the size of the trailer.
  • •Selling green wood as seasoned, or short-measuring the volume of a load, is misleading conduct under Australian Consumer Law. Raise it with the seller directly, and use the report link on the listing if it isn't resolved.

Biosecurity

  • •Moving firewood and untreated timber between zones or across state and territory borders can spread pests and disease into areas that are currently free of them.
  • •Restrictions differ by state, territory and even by local biosecurity zone, and they change. Check the current rules for both the origin and destination before you move or accept a load, especially over any distance.
  • •This applies to buyers as much as sellers - moving wood you've bought is still your responsibility once it leaves the yard.

Machinery condition

  • •For chippers, stump grinders, chainsaws and other powered gear, ask for the hours, service history and who last serviced it.
  • •Check that guards, interlocks and other safety devices are present and intact - a machine with guarding removed or bypassed is not a bargain, it's a hazard.
  • •Second-hand EWPs (elevated work platforms) need a current inspection and certification history. Ask to see the paperwork before you inspect the machine, not after you've paid a deposit.

Something on the site look wrong? Read the listing rules or use the report link on any listing.