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Sometimes you have no option but to cut down a tree and remove its stump. Regardless of corrective measures, some trees may just be too much of a hazard to your property to leave.
Tree Cutting Safety Procedures
Most lumberjacks would agree that tree clearing and trimming is indeed a macho activity, in fact, it is an activity that many men would happily partake in.
However, the removal and trimming of trees should be done in accordance with strict safety tips as it has the potential to cause serious property or bodily harm.
Pie cuts, for example, are used to control the direction that a tree being felled will fall. However, this is not always the case. Chainsaws are the main types of tree trimming equipment used throughout the US. They usually come with manuals that give instructions on how to cut a tree.
These manuals do provide useful insights into the process but, naturally, different trees require different felling techniques. First things first, never try to use a chainsaw and a ladder. This tree cutting technique has resulted in horror injuries after the tree limb topples the ladder and leaves you and your chainsaw in mid-air.
In fact, tree felling is considered one of the most dangerous jobs in the US with over 140 fatalities annually.
Avoid the use of the four-legged ladder meant for painters as well as the three-legged one for pruning activities. This is because the painter’s ladder is meant for use on hard surfaces while the pruning ladder handles pretty well on uneven and rough terrains. However, these ladders are not designed for tree cutting or trimming which involves larger limbs and chainsaws.
- Never use the chainsaw to cut any tree limb that is hanging over your head.
- Operate the chainsaw with both hands. Avoid those fancy one-handed operations or showoffs.
- Have both feet firmly on the ground when using the saw.
- Always wear personal protective equipment like leg chaps, ear, and eye protection as well as heavy industrial boots.
- Avoid any type of intoxication prior to cutting a tree. It is pretty dangerous to operate power tools while intoxicated.
tree cutting
Tree trimming and cutting professionals advise against going for the big cuts without having a professional present to supervise and offer advice. It is better to leave such cuts to tree-cutting professionals as they have the knowledge and the right tools for the job. Apart from the chainsaws, there are other types of tree trimming equipment. They include:
- Safety harnesses, such as the climbing saddle, provide safety during tree trimming.
- Climbing ropes, facilitate the efficient and safe climbing of a tree.
- Chip trucks are used in tree trimming jobs with an industrial magnitude.
- Chipper and poles saws, the chipper cuts the tree branches into smaller bark-sized pieces and allows the easier disposal or resale of the same. Pole saws are small chainsaws that are fixed on extension poles. They allow the operator to reach higher branches safely and efficiently.
After you remove the tree itself, there is the removal of tree stumps which tends to be a laborious and challenging task for the uninitiated. Unless you have distribution lines for electricity running near your property, you will have to make private arrangements to fell trees that may be impending property development on your lot. Once you have brought the trees down, you will have to deal with the tree stumps as well. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) takes care of vegetation management and tree trimming along transmission lines that carry more than 200kV through set standards.
However, since transmission lines are usually located far away from human settlement, smaller distribution facilities and their corresponding vegetation management are handled by the state utility regulatory commission.
Federal Approved Procedure For How To Remove A Tree Stump
Tree stump removal eliminates fungal root and suckering rots according to the US Forest Service (FS).
If you’ve been wondering about the right procedure of how to remove a tree stump, then the FS has it that tree stumps can be removed physically using approved equipment and techniques or through chemical means such as weed killers.
Procedures involving the physical removal of a tree stump are carried out by professional tree surgeons who remove the tree stump surgically for a fee.
Ideally, this is the best method for tree stump removal since it does not involve the use of chemicals that could pollute the soil. Small tree stumps can be effectively pulled out using winches.
Mechanical mini-excavators help remove the remnants of the root system after the larger tree stump has been removed. Tree stump removal would be made easier if a sizable length of the tree trunk is left during the tree cutting exercise to provide sufficient leverage.
