Trees: Risk and Responsibility
- By Nathan Davies
- •
- 21 Jul, 2017
- •
Trees
provide many benefits. They can screen eyesores, soften built form,
cool and filter the air and reduce wind speeds. They provide shade,
habitats for wildlife, provide pleasant settings in which to
exercise, aid recovery from illness and promote feelings of well
being.
Trees are however large biological organisms. Their health can decline and structural integrity fail as a result of mechanical defects, disease or decay. Trees or tree parts can weigh as little as a few kilos to several tonnes. Tree parts (twigs, branches and large limbs) can fall from considerable heights increasing their impact force and severity of damage whilst failure of roots or the trunk can result in catastrophic failure of the whole tree.
If the trees are small or located away from roads, buildings and frequently occupied areas the likelihood of damage or injury occurring (risk), is very low. Conversely trees close to highways buildings and frequently occupied areas pose a significantly greater risk as failure is more likely to result in damage, injury or death. The overall risk of serious injury or death in the UK is considered to be very low, however this is of little consequence to the injured party or their family when an accident does occur.
Tree owners and managers in the UK are required by both Common and Statute law to ensure their trees are reasonably safe and do not pose an unacceptable level of risk to visitors to the site or neighbours of the land on which trees are located. This does not however require that trees are maintained completely risk free as this would be an impossible task to achieve.
Owners and managers of large organisations or commercial premises have a further duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act to ensure a safe place of work and to protect non employees from risks associated with their enterprise (which includes their premises). Suitable risk assessment of large sites may identify various levels of risk and use which require different levels and frequency of inspections.
In order to discharge the duty an owner or manager must be able to show that their trees have been managed in a reasonable and proportionate way. Trees should therefore be inspected at regular intervals based on the level of risk posed. A competent person, owner or employee who has a basic knowledge of trees and their defects could carry out the initial inspection. They should however, be aware of the limits of their knowledge and know when to seek further advice. If the inspection identifies anything which could be considered different from a normal healthy tree, advice should be sought from a qualified, competent and experienced arborist.
Unless the trees are owned by a commercial enterprise or large organisation it is not a legal requirement to keep records of the inspections or risk assessments. It is however advisable to keep records as this proves a proactive system of tree inspections was carried out should an accident happen and a criminal prosecution or civil claim arise. A tree survey and will identify the risks posed, works required to reduce them to an acceptable level and provide a specification and time frame in which works should be completed. Any specified works should be completed within prescribed time frames to ensure the duty of care has been met.
Where tree owners do not feel that they are competent to inspect trees themselves, they should employ a professional tree surgeon who has sufficient skills, knowledge, ability, training and experience to inspect their trees in a competent manner. An instruction to carry out the tree inspection should be clear, unambiguous and preferably in writing. A suitably qualified person is likely to hold a recognised qualification in Arboriculture or Forestry and be able to show they maintain their knowledge through regular training events and reading. A person holding the Lantra Professional Tree Inspection certificate would be considered as being appropriately qualified.
If you live in North Wales be it Anglesey, Gwynedd or Conwy and have any concerns regarding trees on your property please don't hesitate to contact us at Dragon Tree Services. We can provide you with a free, no obligation quote for any tree work, hedge work or garden maintenance that you require. We can also carry out surveys of your trees and provide you with a written report detailing any recommended works.
We pride ourselves on providing a professional, courteous service to all our customers. Whatever your needs regarding trees or hedges we will work with you from start to finish ensuring all your needs are met. Over the years we have built up a loyal customer base that I would like to thank for their continued support.
Please check out our Google reviews and feel free to contact us for a free, no obligation quote.
"I'm Melinda from ThreeBestRated. On behalf of our team, I am delighted to share some exciting news with you. You are listed as one of the Top 3 Tree services in Gwynedd, UK in our recent update.
Our business analyst team is impressed by the consistent high-quality service you provide in your area of business. They have thoroughly evaluated and updated your business based on our rigorous 50-Point Inspection".
We pride ourselves on providing a professional, courteous service to all our customers. Whatever your needs regarding trees or hedges we will work with you from start to finish ensuring all your needs are met. We're proud to have built a loyal customer base over the years. Please check out our Google reviews and feel free to contact us for a free, no obligation quote.
As a company we strive to provide a professional and courteous service to all our customers.
If you require a tree surgeon in the North Wales area please don't hesitate to contact us for a free, no obligation quote.
You can find all our contact details and further information on our website and please read through our Google reviews to see what our customers think.
'Three Best Rated' doesn't charge businesses to appear on their website and customers don't pay a fee to contact the business. A business cannot contact Three Best Rated in order to appear on their website. They are there simply to rate local businesses to help customers choose a company for the service they require.
THREE BEST RATED – SOME OF THE FACTORS THEY USE TO RATE SERVICES
Three Best Rated use a 50 point inspection to decide which companies they award to. Some of the factors that form this 50 point inspection include:
- Local Reviews – They look at reviews on various platforms to see how customers feel about their services.
- Website Standard – Does the company website look attractive and provide all the information a customer is likely to need?
- Social Media – Does the business maintain an active presence on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter?
- Price – Does the business offer a fair and competitive price' for the services offered.
- History – How long has the business been in operation? Is the business an established and reputable company?
If you need the services of a Tree Surgeon in North Wales please don't hesitate to contact us. As you can see from our website we are fully insured and all our operatives are highly experienced, NPTC qualified tree surgeons.
'Three Best Rated' doesn't charge businesses to appear on their website and customers don't pay a fee to contact the business. A business cannot contact Three Best Rated in order to appear on their website. They are there simply to rate local businesses to help customers choose a company for the service they require.
THREE BEST RATED – SOME OF THE FACTORS THEY USE TO RATE SERVICES
Three Best Rated use a 50 point inspection to decide which companies they award to. Some of the factors that form this 50 point inspection include:
- Local Reviews – They look at reviews on various platforms to see how customers feel about their services.
- Website Standard – Does the company website look attractive and provide all the information a customer is likely to need?
- Social Media – Does the business maintain an active presence on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter?
- Price – Does the business offer a fair and competitive price' for the services offered.
- History – How long has the business been in operation? Is the business an established and reputable company?
The Facts:
– What is Ash Dieback? It is a tree disease.
– What causes it? A fungus called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus .
– Also known as? Ash dieback, Chalara, Chalara Ash dieback.
– What trees does it affect? The Common Ash Fraxinus excelsior young and old.
– Areas affected so far? The whole of the UK.
– Prognosis? The disease is now endemic.
– Origin? Asia, arrived in the UK via Europe.
'Three Best Rated' doesn't charge businesses to appear on their website and customers don't pay a fee to contact the business. A business cannot contact Three Best Rated in order to appear on their website. They are there simply to rate local businesses to help customers choose a company for the service they require.
THREE BEST RATED – SOME OF THE FACTORS THEY USE TO RATE SERVICES
Three Best Rated use a 50 point inspection to decide which companies they award to. Some of the factors that form this 50 point inspection include:
- Local Reviews – They look at reviews on various platforms to see how customers feel about their services.
- Website Standard – Does the company website look attractive and provide all the information a customer is likely to need?
- Social Media – Does the business maintain an active presence on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter?
- Price – Does the business offer a fair and competitive price' for the services offered.
- History – How long has the business been in operation? Is the business an established and reputable company?
The term "co-dominant stems" is used to describe two or more main stems (or "leaders") that are about the same diameter and emerge from the same location on the main trunk as seen in the picture above.
As the tree grows older, the stems remain similar in size without any single one becoming dominant.
Why are such stems important to recognize?
- Co-dominant stems tend to fail more often than others, especially in storms.
- Though such stems may look fine to the casual observer, they may actually be dangerous.
- Early recognition of such stems allows remedial action to be carried out.
- Many of our most common trees in the UK commonly form co-dominant stems.
How can you tell if there is a serious problem?
- Classifying co-dominant stems into 3 risk stages can aid in their management:
- Stage 1: Does the union between the two stems form a "V" but there are no other symptoms?
- A "V" union is much more likely to fail than a "U".
- Stems with a "V" union compress bark between them as they grow, leaving little physical connection.
- Stage 2: Are there symptoms of decay in the union?
- Can you see rotted matter between the stems?
- Is there any fluid flowing from the union?
- Are there woody plants growing in the union?
- Do you see wide "ears" (swelling) on either side of the union?
- Stage 3: Is there any sign of failure?
- Can you see any cracks in the union itself?
- Is reaction wood being formed rapidly at the base of the stems?
- Stage 1: Does the union between the two stems form a "V" but there are no other symptoms?
If you have a co-dominant stem that you are concerned about you should seek the advice of a trained professional.
This is by no means intended to be used as an extensive guide to tree hazard assessment,simply to aid understanding of some common tree related problems that can cause a tree to fail.
'Three Best Rated' doesn't charge businesses to appear on their website and customers don't pay a fee to contact the business. A business cannot contact Three Best Rated in order to appear on their website. They are there simply to rate local businesses to help customers choose a company for the service they require.
THREE BEST RATED – SOME OF THE FACTORS THEY USE TO RATE SERVICES
Three Best Rated use a 50 point inspection to decide which companies they award to. Some of the factors that form this 50 point inspection include:
- Local Reviews – They look at reviews on various platforms to see how customers feel about their services.
- Website Standard – Does the company website look attractive and provide all the information a customer is likely to need?
- Social Media – Does the business maintain an active presence on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter?
- Price – Does the business offer a fair and competitive price' for the services offered.
- History – How long has the business been in operation? Is the business an established and reputable company?
I've just dug out some pictures of a few jobs we carried out in the final few months of 2018. Thanks to all the lads who have worked for us during the last year. Their hard work and attitude have helped Dragon Tree Services provide quality tree care and keep all our customers happy.
