Clear uprooted and windblown trees using a chainsaw

This standard covers all the activities that may be required to clear uprooted and windblown trees using a chainsaw. This is where this process has been agreed as a safe method following a risk assessment and where mechanical clearance is not possible.

It includes trees that have been windblown or uprooted by storm damage, earth movement or another physical agent. The trees will not be in a position that requires assistance from emergency services or utility companies.

Multiple windblow sites will require a planned approach to complete the work, which may involve the severing and extraction of part-blown and wind-snapped trees prior to severing root-plates from fully blown stems.

The trees may be both over and under guide bar length in diameter and both fully and partially uprooted. The process may also include the severing of root-plates that overhang the chainsaw operator's cutting position using mechanical or other appropriate machinery for restraint.

The standard also includes the severing of partly blown (leaning) trees and the felling of wind-snapped (broken) trees, with and without the tops attached.

Winches or other appropriate machinery may be required for the restraint of trees with side tension or where the stem is likely to roll.

When working with equipment and machinery you must be appropriately trained and hold current certification, where required, in line with the relevant legislation.

Clearing uprooted and windblown trees must be carried out by a trained and competent person who has relevant experience in the task being undertaken. Another suitably qualified and equipped operator should also be present on site when dealing with windblow.

Your work must conform to all relevant legislation, codes of practice, industry standards and guidance.

Falls from trees or being hit by falling trees, sections of trees, branches or other falling objects can kill or seriously injure workers on site or members of the public.

Confirm that:
• safe practices are adopted for accessing and working with trees
• the layout and organisation of the work area protects workers and members of the public from the risk of falling objects
• drop zones are established and people are prohibited from entering the zone
• risk zones are, where reasonably practicable, clearly marked, signed and guarded
• communication methods between all workers on site are robust and effective

Additional resources may be required on site, such as banksmen, to help manage any risk associated with anyone possibly entering the work site.

Core requirements and responsibilities

1. obtain the relevant information to carry out the work activities in accordance with organisational procedures
2. maintain the health and safety of yourself and others at all times, in accordance with the relevant legislation and codes of practice
3. assess the risks associated with the site and the trees to be worked on, before starting work and throughout the activity, checking and confirming the findings of any existing risk assessments
4. confirm sufficient control measures are implemented, risk zones have been set up and marked, and the emergency planning and procedures relevant to the site have been established and recorded
5. prepare the site by removing debris and obstructions in the way of the work area and establishing escape routes
6. select the safest working methods, making use of mechanical methods where this is safer, in accordance with the assessed risks and organisational procedures, and plan work accordingly
7. confirm that relevant training, experience and certification is in place to undertake the work to be carried out and recognise your own competence limitations
8. use appropriate methods to maintain effective communication with other workers and anyone else involved in, or affected by the work, in accordance with industry guidance and organisational procedures
9. confirm that appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for the work to be carried out is worn at all times
10. select, prepare, use, maintain and store the tools and equipment required safely, in accordance with the relevant legal requirements and manufacturer’s instructions
11. confirm all equipment has been checked, tested where required, and is fit for purpose, in accordance with the relevant legal requirements and manufacturer's instructions
12. maintain the safety and security of tools and equipment on site
13. carry out the required work in accordance with the information provided and organisational procedures
14. maintain biosecurity in accordance with the relevant legal requirements, industry guidance and organisational procedures
15. minimise damage or disturbance to the site and surrounding area while carrying out the work, and confirm that the site is left in a safe and tidy condition
16. implement best practice approaches to sustainability that are appropriate for the work being carried out
17. deal effectively with issues that arise, within the scope and limitations of your responsibility, and report issues that cannot be resolved, in accordance with organisational procedures
18. complete and store all relevant documentation in accordance with legal requirements and organisational procedures
    Clear uprooted and windblown trees
19. plan a systematic approach to the work of clearing uprooted and windblown trees to ensure the safety of workers
20. prepare the stems by removing branches, climbing vegetation, scrub and other obstructions, where required, in accordance with current industry guidance
21. identify tension and compression in stems and adapt working methods to take account of this, in accordance with current industry guidance, using suitable restraint equipment where required
22. select and use equipment for the restraint of the tree that is appropriate to the size and condition of the tree and root-plate
23. identify dead wood, insecure branches and broken tops both in the windblown trees to be severed, and in adjacent standing trees
24. consider the effect of disease on the operation and obtain advice where you are unsure
25. select the take-down method for hung-up trees relevant to the tree size, form and condition
26. prepare hung-up trees by removing a portion or all of the hinge, as appropriate to the tree size, condition and take-down method
27. take down hung-up trees using tools or equipment appropriate to the tree size, condition and take-down method
28. sever the root-plates from under and over guide bar diameter stems using the appropriate compression and tension cuts, in accordance with current industry guidance, using suitable restraint equipment where required
29. check that the trees and root-plates are in a safe and appropriate position and condition to enable the subsequent operations

Core requirements and responsibilities

1. how to identify and access information relevant to the required work
2. how to identify hazards and assess risks associated with the site and the trees to be worked on, and the importance of site-specific risk assessment and control measures that are appropriate for your area of work
3. the relevant health and safety procedures and Safe Systems of Work (SSoW)
4. the emergency planning and procedures relevant to the site, risk zone distances and escape routes
5. what should be considered when establishing risk zones and selecting and clearing suitable escape routes
6. the importance of risk zone management, the correct use of warning signs and barriers to inform and protect others while the work is carried out and the procedures for temporary traffic management where required
7. the current legislation and codes of practice, industry standards and guidance, organisational policies, procedures, and protocols, business and professional ethics relevant to your area of work and to which you must adhere
8. the legal, industry and organisational requirements for training, experience and certification to undertake the work activities required, and the importance of acknowledging your limitations and not undertaking work that is beyond your level of competence
9. why it is important to maintain effective communication with other workers and anyone else involved in, or affected by the work, and the methods of communication that should be used
10. the tools, equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) required for the work and how to select, prepare, use, carry out operator maintenance and store these safely, in accordance with the relevant legal requirements and manufacturer’s instructions
11. the legal requirements for checking and testing equipment and why it is important to maintain all equipment to a high standard
12. technology used in your area of work and how to use it
13. the importance of checking for signs of disease, defects and decay in trees being worked on and where to obtain professional advice when required
14. the importance of biosecurity measures and how to apply these
15. the potential impact of the work on the site and surrounding area and how this can be minimised
16. your and the organisation’s responsibility for protecting the environment and working sustainably
17. the importance of checking that completed work meets requirements in accordance with the information provided
18. the issues that can occur when clearing uprooted and windblown trees using a chainsaw, the actions to take and organisational procedures for reporting issues that cannot be resolved
19. the scope and limitations of your own competence, responsibilities and accountability
20. the legal and organisational requirements for the completion and storage of documentation
    Clear uprooted and windblown trees
21. how to plan a systematic approach to the work of clearing uprooted or windblown trees to ensure the safety of workers on site and the factors that need to be considered
22. how to recognise situations where chainsaw felling is not appropriate and it would be safer to use mechanical clearance of windblown trees
23. the dangers of working on damaged, decayed or diseased trees and the precautions that must be taken
24. the importance of following current industry guidance when clearing windblown trees
25. how to carry out the activities required to clear uprooted and windblown trees
26. how to identify top, bottom and side tension and compression in timber
27. the risks involved and precautions to be taken by the chainsaw operator when cutting timber under high tension
28. the techniques used for taking down hung-up trees of different weights and diameters
29. how to recognise when a winch or other restraint equipment is necessary and the impact of this on the felling operation
30. the different types of winch and other restraint equipment and how to select, set up and use winches and ancillary equipment for carrying out different tasks safely
31. the dangers that could occur when using restraint equipment
32. the situations where a banksman should be used and the means of communication with the chainsaw operator
33. the methods of severing uprooted trees, under and over guide bar length in diameter
34. how to make root-plates safe after severing

How to carry out the following:
• cutting timber under high tension
• using a winch or other restraint equipment for side tension or to prevent timber rolling/moving on a slope
• using winches to restrain overhanging root-plates
• selecting and using anchor points adequate for the load applied
• cutting a “long log” when severing buried stems or unstable root-plates
• using “V” cuts and other alternative methods to sever timber under very heavy tension
• severing partly uprooted or windblown trees
• felling broken trees with tops attached or snapped trees with no tops

Ancillary equipment compatible with winches:
• cables
• strops
• chokers
• shackles
• pulley snatch blocks
• other devices such as cable extension clamps

Banksman/signaller – a trained and competent person who controls the movements of machinery, procedures and people on a site to ensure work activities are carried out safely.

A hierarchy of controls must be established between the banksman/signaller and other operators to ensure that pre-agreed signals are clearly transmitted and understood.

Hand tools include:
• lifting tongs
• cant hooks
• turning hooks
• turning straps
• take-down poles
• small hand winches

Health and safety risks from chainsaw use:

• being cut by the saw
• hit or crushed by moving timber
• noise-induced hearing loss
• hand-arm vibration (HAV)
• exhaust fumes from petrol-driven chainsaws
• exposure to oils
• exposure to dust
• effects of fatigue/dehydration on the ability to work safely
• other work equipment or activities on site

Information required to carry out work activities could include:
• drawings
• plans
• schedules
• specifications
• method statements
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• manufacturer’s instructions
• customer requirements
• quality assurance requirements
• industry standards (e.g. British Standards)
• verbal or written instructions
• industry guidance (e.g. FISA)

Organisational procedures refer to procedures set by the organisation you are employed by or the organisation that you are doing the work on behalf of (the client or customer)

Risk zone – Also referred to as Danger zone and Exclusion zone. The Risk zone should be established before commencement of any tree work. Usually, the distance equal to twice the height of the tree to be felled though other factors also need to be taken into consideration.

Safe System of Work (SSoW) – is a method of work that puts in place control measures arising from a risk assessment, in order to manage identified hazards, which are broken down into four elements: safe person; safe equipment; safe place; and safe practice.