Health and Safety Executive

Tree work statistics

Between 2003/04 – 2007/08 (provisional)

  • 22 people involved with tree work have been killed;
  • Over 400 have suffered a major injury; and
  • 673 have been off work for more than 3 days as a result of an injury they received whilst at work

This means a total of well over 1000 people have had their lives affected by the work that they do and these are the ones that HSE know about. There are many more incidents that are never reported to us as they should be.

To put these figures into a wider context, tree work has a major injury incidence rate higher than that of the construction industry.

Looking at the accidents that have been reported there are a number of key causes of accidents in tree work. These include:

  • Chainsaws;
  • Being hit by falling timber/tree; and
  • Falls;

Number of incidents from 2003/04 – 2007/08

Incidents in 2007/08

Injuries in arboriculture and forestry* as reported to all enforcing authorities under RIDDOR 95 regulations during 2001/02 - 2007/08

Further statistics can be found oh HSE’s website

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28.08.09