Author: arborist_user

When tight is too tight The slide line itself should never be under tension when the load to be transported is brought to bear on it. Dropping a load into a taut slide line is a sure recipe for an emergency room visit accompanied by a trip to an arborist retailer to replace broken ropes…

Michael Tain — August 25, 2015 COVER PHOTO BY KEVEN MENGERS If you aren’t working safe, you aren’t working for long. Modern-day tree crews spend hours of labor and sweat equity every day making large amounts of wood, branches, brush and miscellaneous green and brown stuff disappear, hopefully in a safe and timely manner. While the climbing…

Professional arborists know that using the right rigging technique can mean the difference between a job well done and a job that takes much longer than intended to complete. Here are 4 tried-and-true methods that professional arborists use to get the job done quickly and safely. Photo Courtesy of Samson Ropes –  www.samsonrope.com Spider Leg Rigging When rigging down limbs, it is best to keep them in a horizontal position. Spider legrigging is a wonderful way to achieve this goal. It is especially useful when rigging lowhanging limbs that are within close distance to buildings or other objects.  Spider…

Keep these six basics in mind when pruning this spring. 1. Blossom basics: timing is everythingTo maximize flowering on spring-blooming trees, prune just after your tree or shrub has finished flowering. Pruning at this time avoids cutting off the flower buds for next year. 2. Less is more when pruning a newly planted treeLimit pruning…

Ropes could be considered an arborist’s most important tools. They are used to support limbs, tools, and people.  That’s why it’s important to inspect ropes regularly to determine if it is still in proper working condition.  During inspection, look for the following characteristics of a weak rope: If your rope is showing signs of wear…

When one is better than two Single line ascent, single rope technique (SRT), and from the grizzled vets “that new trash y’all been messin’ around with” – regardless of what you call it, the use of a single static line to ascend and even work the canopy of a tree is not only here to…

The Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) conducted an analysis of 37 civilian tree care-related accidents reported by the media in 2014. TCIA is a trade association that advances the tree care industry and discourages homeowners from taking unnecessary risks caring for their trees. While these numbers are not representative of all – or even most…

The Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) reviewed 126 occupational tree care accidents reported by the media, OSHA and industry colleagues in 2014. Of these, 81 were fatal. The median age of the victim for all incidents was 42.Further analysis revealed trends seen in previous years: Monday is still statistically the most dangerous day of the…

Perhaps the most difficult and dangerous trees to cut are ones that have been damaged by storms. These trees should be tackled only by the most skilled and experienced tree cutters, for they are, in a word, unpredictable. This is primarily due to the tremendous compression and tension forces exerted on the parts of the…

Uprooted trees lying on the ground (or supported by another object) There are two potentially dangerous circumstances that can occur when the trunk is cut free from the remaining root mass. First, the remaining root mass could fall forward and on top of the saw operator. The other potentially dangerous result is that the root…