36 November/December 2015 Landscape and Irrigation www.landscapeirrigation.com
TREE CARE
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
An example of a possible situation in storm cleanup.
PHOTO
BY
ANDREW
HORDYK
