The NTSG has recently published guidance on managing the risk from trees entitled Common sense risk management of trees.
The NTSG comprises a number of organisations with an interest in tree risk management who came together in August 2007 to agree a nationally recognised approach to tree safety management.
Although not a member of the NTSG, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was consulted and endorses the sensible, proportionate, reasonable and balanced advice to owners on managing the risk from trees set out in the guidance.
HSE supports safety management that is proportionate to the actual risks. The probability of being killed by a tree (or part of one) is estimated as one in ten million. While general legislation does apply, the proper management of trees in a given context should be straightforward. Felling trees is very much a last resort given that the risk is so small.
In addition to the guidance booklet, the NTSG has published two supplementary documents - a householder leaflet for the individual domestic tree owner and a landowner summary document for estates and smallholdings. Online PDF downloads and hard copies of all three publications can be found on the Forestry Commission’s publications website.
INDG 317
INDG 294