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16 FALL 2015 ARBOR AGE www.arborage.com TRAINING & EDUCATION Storm Cleanup When the weather is bad, safety is good BY MICHAEL "HOUSE" TAIN Storm cleanup, or storm work, as many folks in the tree care industry call it, can happen any time of year, especially with what seem to be the changing weather patterns of North America; but the late summer and fall of the year traditionally can bring some challenging weather-related work to tree folk. The combination of weather patterns, depending on geographic area, that can result in thunderstorms, saturated soils, high winds, hurricanes, or even early wet heavy snowfalls can challenge the strongest of trees' canopy structures and root systems — leaving tree crews to sail in to clean up the mess. Everyday tree work is, by nature, a physically demanding and dangerous occupation; and the addition of downed power lines, poor footing, bad driving conditions, trees down in precarious positions, or wood under unknown stresses/ forces does not make the occupation any simpler or safer. In many cases, storm situations can be seen by tree folk as simply regular tree work in bad weather; and this underestimation can result in fatal consequences. Trees moved from their normal upright habit or position by storm forces are under terrific stress and strain. If care is not taken to release these forces slowly and under control, the unsuspecting tree crew may experience an explosion of woody shrapnel and objects. Driving to and from jobs is a hazard that tree crews face in the best of times, the addition of water, snow, ice, trees, power lines, and storm sight seers on the road does not make this hazard any less. Good work practices and habits, along with following the guidelines for required PPE, will help a great deal in making storm situations safer, 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, which can always be quite challenging in storm work. ELECTRICITY: FRIEND OR FOE? Electricity is most often a friend, allowing for the viewing of "The Walking Dead," the washing/drying of those stylish Arborwear britches, and keeping those chosen adult beverages nice and chilly. But in storm cleanup mode, tree crews need to view the electric as their foe and biggest threat. Energized conductors down on the ground are almost always part and parcel of a storm situation, regardless of whether the storm brought the lines down on its own, An example of a possible situation in storm cleanup. PHOTO BY ANDREW HORDYK