Dangers Of Tree Felling

What Are The Dangers Of Tree Felling?

For a number of reasons, the process of felling trees is crucial. Felling is required for safety reasons, such as the removal of dead, diseased, or hazardous trees, and also permits trees to be removed from an area to create space. To ensure that safe work procedures are followed, it is crucial to be aware of the risks related to tree felling. In a perfect world, tree felling would be done by a skilled arborist who is aware of the dangers involved.

When felling trees, there is a great deal of potential for danger, including severe injury or death from mishaps brought on by faulty technique, stem movements, or rebound. A tree or branch may occasionally fall from a tree either behind the person felling, or the tree they are currently felling. However, it is not always clear what causes it. Two trees' tops being connected by entwined branches or vines is one potential reason. A dead or insecure tree can occasionally be brought down by the vibration caused by a massive tree striking the ground. When evaluating the tree you intend to cut down, you should also look for structural weaknesses and damage in the other trees. Look for branches that are entwined with vines or other tree branches. Always make sure that there is an escape route available.

What Are The Main Causes Of Harm When Felling Trees?

When cutting down trees, poor technique, stem movements, and rebounding are the major sources of injury. Poor technique refers to a tree feller's ignorance of adequate safe-cutting methods, which might lead to the unintentional cutting of nearby branches or other obstructions. The movement of the tree itself is referred to as stem movement, and it can cause the stem to break, backfire, or roll in an unanticipated way. Finally, rebounds describe the action of the saw blade or chainsaw caused by the movement of the tree, which may result in damage to the operator's property or personal harm.

The risk zone for improper or subpar tree felling practises is a circle with the stump of the felled tree at its centre and a radius that is twice as tall as the tree that was felled. There are a lot of major damages that can happen when a felling technique isn't the best; an example of this is when a branch breaks and ricochets. If workers are not at a safe distance, wind-throw can uproot trees, produce unstable root plates, and have major consequences. It is crucial to remember that every tree-falling operation must consider these possible risks and adhere to all essential safety measures, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the appropriate protective clothing.

Can Infected Trees Be Felled?

Remember that unhealthy or infected trees shouldn't be cut down while dealing with them. If this is done, there is a chance that the illness may spread, killing many trees and accelerating the infection. To aid the afflicted tree in recovering, aid should be sought out whenever practical. If the tree does need to be removed, it should be done by professionals and in a method that reduces the chance of disease spreading, such as by taking out only the tree's sickly areas. Unless necessary for public safety (or wood production), live sick ash trees should not be felled. Evidence suggests that some trees will be able to withstand the illness and recover.

Future ash trees may come from disease-resistant plants. As the disease worsens, be careful to monitor the tree's safety, and only cut or remove the tree or its branches if they pose a risk of harm or property damage. If possible, avoid cutting ash trees or hedgerows with a lot of ash during the time when birds are breeding. Summertime is when sick ash leaves produce the most spores, thus uprooting trees at this time of year might enhance spore dissemination as well as disturb protected animals. The vast amounts of dead wood and the harm to the tree's stability can present substantial safety problems.

Should You Fell A Dead Tree?

When deciding whether or not to chop down a dead tree, there are several aspects to consider. First, dead trees might pose a risk to nearby people and buildings. Despite their seeming safety, they can easily break off and become trapped on poles, power lines, or rooftops. The nearby infrastructure is seriously at risk from a dead tree's potential, unexpected collapse. Dead wood may act as a breeding ground for termites and other wood-eating insects, endangering any neighbouring properties. Therefore, it is usually necessary to chop down a dead tree for safety concerns.

If a tree has gotten unusually big, its root system can be getting in the way of surrounding roadways, pipelines, drainage, or even structures. If the tree is too close to a building, branches may potentially cause damage. In this situation, it's recommended to remove the tree and replace it with a young sapling in a more advantageous spot. Although internal rot in a tree is difficult to detect, a qualified tree surgeon may examine the tree and let you know if that is the problem. This issue is typically too advanced to be resolved by the time anyone recognises it since it is so difficult to identify. For this reason, it's safer to chop the tree down once it starts to rot for whatever cause.

How To Fell Trees Safely

To maintain safety and avoid accidents, precise procedures must be followed when falling trees. The operator should survey the area and make note of any possible dangers there before even starting to cut down trees. The tree should be examined for any weak places that might cause it to split, kick back, or roll unexpectedly after the cutting location has been selected. The upper portion of the tree should be removed first, then any more cuts required to eliminate these weak places. By doing so, the possibility of kickback will be lessened and the tree will fall in the intended direction.

In order to avoid being struck by falling branches, the operator must stand away from the tree. Tree felling is an essential procedure, but it has potential dangers like any other task. When cutting down trees, it's crucial to keep these risks in mind and adhere to the essential safety precautions to minimise the risk of injury. The majority of trees naturally fall in one direction. This is influenced by the tree's lean, the way the branches are shaped, and any crown snow loads (branch snow). Move a little bit away from the tree and use a plumb rule to determine the tree lean if you are unsure. To a certain extent, it is possible to force a tree to fall in a direction opposite to how it naturally falls, although doing so always comes with a higher danger and requires more physical effort. It requires the appropriate felling assistance tools, as well as knowledge, abilities, and experience.

Always fell weak-wood trees, such as those that are dead or decaying, in the direction that is most straightforward. Choose the direction of the felling; take note of the various elements that might influence the felling, such as the wind's intensity, direction, slope, and nearby obstructions. Make sure there are no individuals present within twice the height of the tree from the tree you wish to cut down before you begin.