Work Health and Safety – Trees (monitoring, maintenance, lopping) experts

Introduction

Experts in this field are work health and safety experts who have focused their studies on trees, specifically the monitoring, maintenance (such as trimming), and lopping required to use and process them. WH&S relates to the management of risks to the health and safety of anyone visiting a business, including workers, customers, and suppliers. In this case, it primarily to those handling the trees, but also to the end user of the timber they provide. Working with trees can have potentially disastrous consequences if WH&S standards are not observed, and each aspect of the process has different types and levels of danger: about 65% of fatalities occur during tree felling, 20% during trimming/lopping and 7% during cutting/clearing of felled material (SafeWork SA, 2020).

Some of the consequences of inadequate WH&S procedures with trees can be quite detrimental, including a variety of injuries obtained during the process such as crushing injuries from a falling log or a bad splinter, to consequences as severe as death. Working with trees can be extremely dangerous, even when the worker is experienced. There are the usual musculoskeletal considerations of any work space, but amplified, due to the extreme weight, and unwieldy nature of the objects being handled. Tree maintenance and lopping is governed by a set of protocols which ensures the safety of the worker and these must be observed to safeguard the employee, especially when it comes to the felling of trees and the trimming of branches. These guidelines ensure safe practices for the workers, and a safe product for the end user, as the timber will be harvested and cut properly.

WH&S expertise in this area is usually sought to promote the well-being of all visitors and workers to the site of any tree processing, and to ensure safe practices are being promoted and enforced, so that the finished product is safe also. Protecting workers and visitors in this way both safeguards their personal health and the interests of the metal fabrication company, protecting them from legal action.

Experts in this area come from many professional backgrounds. Many will come from a tree processing background, having worked as arborists or landscapers themselves. Some will be trained OH&S experts, or generalised ergonomists. They may also come from a medical background, from doctors specialising in injuries at work to physiotherapists. The specific specialisation and background needed in your tree processing expert will be determined by the matter which requires examination.

At the bottom of this profile are brief details of a number of the experts that Expert Experts represents. Call our office to discuss your requirements and to obtain a recommendation that suits your needs and budget.

Expertise in Action

Experts in WH&S as it relates to tree processing can be called upon to assist in policy design, enforcement and creation of safety measures, injuries sustained at work during tree processing, cases involving a trauma caused by a tree or during the maintenance of one, and many more.

Sample Reports

For some fields of expertise we have some sample sections of de-identified reports. Please contact our office if you are interested in a sample.

Cost

The overall cost of expert opinion depends on the services required. Some of the key factors that affect the cost of advice include:

• The need for a view or inspection of a location
• The quantity of documentary material to be reviewed
• Whether there are reports of other experts to be reviewed and commented on in detail
• Whether there is a need for conferences with the expert either in person or by telephone/Skype

Relevant Articles Guide to managing risks of tree - Trimming and removal work

A SafeWork Australia resource on tree safety especially when it comes to the unique challenges presented by maintenance and removal work.

Tree work (arboriculture)

An extensive resource detailing each aspect of the tree work business and how to address them safely.

Tree Felling

A safety resource especially for tree felling.

Relevant Cases Roman Catholic Trusts Corporation v Maroondah City Council [2004] VCAT 470 (16 February 2004)

A case to do with a planning application which would involve the removal of several trees, requiring a tree survey and various other safety considerations.

Worksafe New Zealand v Discoveries Educare Limited [2019] NZDC 13056 (23 August 2019)

A case involving a tree which was improperly maintained causing it to fall, injuring several people.

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