Treat or remove tree stumps

This standard covers the activities required to treat or remove tree stumps left after treework operations.

This includes the use of chemical and/or biological treatments for stumps and the use of motor-manual or mechanised equipment to remove stumps. This may involve the use of winches (hand-operated or motorised) and stump-processing machinery.

You could be working to a given specification that defines the methods to be used but you will be expected to determine how to carry out these methods on site.

You will need to take account of any restrictions affecting the work e.g. designated sites, presence of listed structures, wildlife, non-native invasive or protected species etc.

You are required to avoid or minimise damage or disturbance to the surrounding area including trees, other vegetation, wildlife and habitats, and to any structures, fences, paths, signs, ditches, waterways or drains, and to ensure that other site users are not put at risk by your work.

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

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

1. obtain the relevant information to carry out the work activities in accordance with organisational procedures
2. check any statutory requirements that might be in place that may prohibit or place conditions on the work to be done
3. maintain the health and safety of yourself and others at all times, in accordance with the relevant legislation and codes of practice
4. assess the risks associated with the site and the work to be carried out, before starting work and throughout the activity, checking and confirming the findings of any existing risk assessments
5. confirm sufficient control measures are implemented and emergency planning and procedures relevant to the site have been established and recorded
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 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 the 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 that 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. identify the tree stumps and roots to be treated or removed, and assess their condition
14. locate and avoid or protect utility services and property
15. prepare tree stumps and roots in accordance with your assessment of their condition and in accordance with the information provided
16. use treatment methods that are appropriate to the condition of the tree stumps and roots and the location, and in accordance with relevant legislation, industry guidance and the information provided
17. use removal methods that are appropriate to the condition of the tree stumps and roots and the location, and in accordance with relevant legislation, industry guidance and the information provided
18. fill the hole following removal using appropriate material
19. remove all waste and surplus materials and deal with them in accordance with the relevant legal requirements and organisational procedures
20. minimise damage or disturbance to the site and surrounding area while carrying out this work, and confirm that the site is left in a safe and tidy condition
21. implement best practice approaches to sustainability that are appropriate for the work being carried out
22. deal effectively with issues that arise, within the scope and limitations of your responsibilities, and report issues that cannot be resolved, in accordance with organisational procedures
23. complete and store all relevant documentation in accordance with legal and organisational requirements

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 work to be carried out, 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 the management of risk zones
5. current legislation, industry guidance, organisational policies, procedures and protocols, business and professional ethics that are relevant to your area of work and to which you must adhere
6. the legal, industry and organisational requirements for training 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
7. 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
8. 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, manufacturer’s instructions, and organisational procedures
9. the legal requirements for checking and testing equipment and why it is important to maintain all equipment to a high standard
10. technology used in your area of work and how to use it
11. the correct use of warning signs and barriers to inform and protect others while work is carried out
12. how to identify and avoid or protect utility services and property and why this is important
13. how to select the appropriate method of treatment or removal, based on the existing condition of the tree stump and the location
14. the biological and chemical methods of tree stump treatment and how to identify when these methods should be used
15. the manual and mechanical methods of tree stump removal and how to identify when these methods should be used
16. when a winch should be used to remove tree stumps, the correct anchoring of the winch and the compatibility of the winch components
17. the materials that can be used to fill the hole following removal and why sawdust should not be used
18. the correct methods of dealing with waste and surplus materials in accordance with the relevant legal requirements and organisational procedures
19. the potential impact of the work on the site and surrounding area and how this can be minimised
20. your and the organisation’s responsibility for protecting the environment and working sustainably
21. the issues that can occur when treating or removing tree stumps, the actions to take and the organisational procedures for reporting issues that cannot be resolved
22. the scope and limitations of your competence, responsibilities and accountability
23. the legal and organisational requirements for the completion and storage of documentation

Methods of stump removal include:
• digging out the stump – manually or mechanically
• grinding the stump
• burning the stump (when it is safe and legal to do so)
• using a chemical treatment

Information required to carry out work activities could include:
• drawings
• plans
• schedules
• specifications
• method statements
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• manufacturer’s guidelines
• 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)

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.