TRAINING & EDUCATION
Frank Chipps of Alberta working on a
storm-thrown tree in Ontario.
Photo by Andrew Hordyk
Safe and efficient tree work during, and after,
hazardous storm situations
By Michael "House" Tain
Although storm damage can happen any time of year in most places,
the late summer and autumn can be particularly problematic with possible hurricanes,thunderstorms,and early snowfall.Tree care is challenging
and hazardous on the best of days, but throw in possible downed power
lines, wind-thrown trees, inclement weather, and wood under unknown
forces, and the crew's pucker factor should go way up. Unfortunately,
storm situations can often be viewed as "just another day at the branch
office," and this can be a dangerous,if not fatal,mistake.The forces that trees
thrown over by wind or snow load are under are enormous; and blithely wandering in to cut away can release them in a catastrophic fashion.
Even the simple act of driving to the work site can be hazardous in storm
16 Arbor Age / September 2013
situations due to water, ice, or snow, without even the consideration of
closed roads and energized conductors. Good work practices and habits,
along with following the guidelines for required PPE, will help a great
deal in making storm situations more safe. But some basic knowledge of
what to look out for,along with some specific techniques or methods,will
not only help with safety but also efficiency — always a problem in the
chaos of storm work.
Electric is bad
Now, electric is not always bad; after all, how would one keep up
with the Kardashians without it? But in storm situations, it should be
first and foremost on every tree crew member's mind. Downed lines are
almost invariably a component of storm clean-up, whether they were
brought down by ice, snow, high winds, or trees themselves. Examining
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