Here are three reasons why tree work is for professionals:
#1 Knowledge and Training
Safe tree work requires extensive knowledge of tree physics and biology, which may take years of experience and study to acquire.
Experience and knowledge lead to safe work.
For example, felling a tree in a controlled manner is not as simple as cutting through the trunk with a chain saw. Professional arborist establishes a drop zone, makes precise cuts, and guides the tree to the ground with ropes as leverage.
Hazards may be invisible to the untrained eye: rotten trunks and limbs, pest and fungal infestations, and other diseases and defects that can only be identified and treated by an experienced tree care professional.
#2 Situational Awareness
Electrical wires are a common situational hazard in tree work; many trees grow near power lines and have their branches, leaves, and limbs entangled in live wires.
Navigating this danger is tricky, even for professionals, and should never be attempted by clients under any circumstance. Some individuals try to go one step further to finish the job alone. As a result, their situational awareness is impaired.
Professional arborists train specifically to have situational awareness. By working in teams, this creates the safest environment for proper tree care work.
#3 Proper Use of Tools
Safely conducting tree work can only be performed by professional arborists.
Do-it-yourselfers who use incorrect, faulty, or complicated tools may hurt themselves and others while attempting tree work. Professional arborists train to properly use their tools ensuring that the job is done as safely as possible.
Chain saws, for example, are incredibly dangerous and easy to misuse. A common mistake is to use a dull chain. This forces the operator to use excess pressure, causing them to lose control of the saw. A professional arborist train to properly inspect, handle, and use chainsaws for safe tree work.
However, tree work may also require tools the average homeowner does not own. Stump grinders, woodchippers, and aerial lifts are just a few examples of complex and often necessary machines that only a trained arborist can handle.
Learn more about Arborist and Arboriculture here!
