The man had climbed into the tree using an extended ladder and was carrying a chainsaw to cut branches. Shortly after the man started work, his father heard a shout and discovered his son bleeding from a cut to his neck. He died from a deep chainsaw laceration to the neck.
Working at height with a chainsaw is extremely high risk and those doing this type of work should be fully trained and competent to do the job. The equipment used to work off ground should be suitable for this use.
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The contractor was trying to fell a tree by using a telescopic handler and a homemade grab attachment to hold the tree and prevent it from falling towards neighbouring property. As the tree moved, it fell out of the grab towards the chain saw operator. He died from injuries caused by both being struck by his chainsaw and the falling tree.
Directional felling of trees is highly skilled work and those carrying out the work must be fully trained and be competent to carry out the job. Telescopic handlers and home-made grabs are not suitable for this work.
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Contracted by a domestic householder to top and trim a tree, he climbed into the tree and injured himself with a top handled chainsaw whilst cutting a branch. He was untrained, using unsuitable equipment and free climbing in the tree, cutting as he went. No one was available or trained to get him down or to effect an aerial rescue. He was eventually rescued from the tree by the fire brigade but subsequently died in hospital from his injuries.
Arboriculture is highly skilled work and those carrying out the work must be fully trained and be competent to carry out the job.
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A man was felling a tree in which another tree was hung up. The dead tree slid down the trunk of the tree being felled crushing him. He died from head injuries.
Hung-up trees introduce a much greater level of risk to any felling operation. Trees should not be felled until any associated hung-up trees are dealt with.
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The man was working on a tree that had been felled onto a downward slope. He was using his chainsaw to remove branches from the tree while standing on the downward slope side. As the branches were removed the trunk rolled and a large branch struck him on the head.
This accident could have been avoided by identifying the risks associated with working on slopes with a chainsaw and applying some common sense safety measures – such as working from the uphill side of the stem.
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An assistant warden at a reserve was leading a party of volunteers felling an ash tree overhanging a farmer’s field. The tree it split, striking him on the back of his neck and side. He suffered fractures to ankle, collarbone and rib but died later from a pulmonary embolism.
Some species of trees, such as Ash, are more liable to split when being felled using conventional felling cuts – particularly if these trees are overhanging. The risk of splitting can be minimized by the use of advanced felling cuts. Those carrying out this type of work should be properly trained and competent in these techniques.
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He and members of his family were cutting down a dead tree to recover firewood when the tree struck him causing severe head injuries.
Tree work is extremely dangerous and should only be carried out by fully trained and competent operators.
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The investigation established that the worker had prepared two trees for winching. As the trees were winched, one or both trees being extracted was uprooted with such force that it pulled the anchor tree over onto the employee.
The deceased should have been in a safe working position whilst carrying out the winching operation.
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He was cutting a branch when his saw became trapped, pulling him downwards as the branch fell. The branch rebounded and hit him as he fell. It is thought that the anchor point gave way as the branch pulled the tree surgeon and chainsaw downwards.
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There was little clearance between the tree and a fence at bottom of the garden and his colleague was unable to control the direction of the fall. After trimming off side branches he made a cut at the front of the tree and a further felling cut at the back, but in doing so, misjudged the cut and left an uneven hinge. The tree fell unexpectedly sideways and because of the absence of an adequate escape route, fell on top of him, causing fatal crushing injuries.
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The anchor tree was uprooted during a winching operation. The log being hauled may have caught on a stump increasing the strain on the pulley. The tree fell onto the winch vehicle and its tip struck the chokerman on head.
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He was working alone in strong gusting winds. There were no witnesses to the accident.
Where reasonably practicable, chainsaw operators should not work alone. When lone working is unavoidable, systems should be in place to regularly monitor the safety of the worker and to ensure adequate procedures are in place in the event of an emergency.
Trees were being felled as part of a thinning operation in a small wood. Two felled trees were still hung up on standing trees. It appears that the last tree felled had hung up across another hung up tree and then fallen directly onto the deceased as he made his way through the wood. There was no obvious reason as to why he had walked directly into the danger zone.
Workers should not enter the danger zone during felling operations.
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It appears that he had felled a tree that became hung up and then attempted to take down the tree in the direction it was hung. The tree worked itself loose knocking him over and down the slope as it fell.
Clearance of windblown and hung up trees is high risk work and those carrying out this type of operation should be fully trained and competent to carry out this type of work.
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He had been attempting to dislodge windblown branches in a wood on the farming estate in which he worked part-time. He was using a chainsaw to cut some branches, but another employee had seen him return to the yard to collect a rope and bow saw, stating that he needed the rope to rock the tree to dislodge a branch. He was later found underneath a large section of tree.
Clearance of windblown and hung up trees is high risk work and those carrying out this type of operation should be fully trained and competent to carry out this type of work.
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He was helping fell some trees at a domestic property when it appears he entered the danger area as a section of the trunk was being dropped. His employer became aware of the accident when he saw the employee sitting on the ground rubbing his head. He died later from his injuries.
Workers should not enter the danger zone during felling operations. For guidance on Find out how to prevent this type of accident
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He was working with three others, clearing a small area of woodland that had been purchased as part of a housing development. There were no witnesses to the accident but it appears that he had felled an oak tree and a large lateral branch had prevented it from completely falling to the ground. It appears that he cut a section of the supporting branch to assist the fall and then went into the danger zone to sever the hinge. This released the tension that had built up on the weakened hinge and the trunk struck him on the side of the head. He was found with the trunk lying on top of him, his neck had been broken.
Clearance of windblown and hung up trees is high risk work and those carrying out this type of operation should be fully trained and competent to carry out this type of work.
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It seems the climbing rope became entangled and took the weight of the falling tree. He had climbed up the section to be felled to attach a ‘pulling rope’ before descending to the point at which he intended to cut though the last section of the tree. Whilst felling a large vertical timber section (with pulling rope assistance from work colleagues on the ground), it fell awkwardly dragging him from the tree, causing fatal injuries.
(MEWP) mounted on a vehicle, whilst pruning tree branches. At the time of the accident the MEWP had not been thoroughly inspected or maintained. In addition there was evidence that a substantial quantity of soil and saw dust had accumulated in the carrier, possibly sufficient to exceed the safe working load. The arborist was not wearing an appropriate work restraint harness and lanyard. Overloading and lack of maintenance of the MEWP may have caused it to fail causing him to fall sustaining fatal injuries.
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The telehandler was being driven by his son. The man was felling a tree, which was supported by a tractor using chains. The tree fell backwards and he fell from the bucket as the telehandler overturned.
This was an unacceptable and high-risk use of a telehandler as a working platform. For guidance on Find out how to prevent this type of accident
He had pruned the sprouted growth and was about to reduce the height of the trunk. He stepped from the ladder on to the tree but lost his balance and fell headfirst to the paving below. He was using neither a harness nor other personal protective equipment.
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He was dismantling two trees in a domestic garden and had started a fire at the base of one of the trees to burn the branches. It appears that a tree branch that he had sawn off had dropped into the fire, causing hot embers to fly up into the air and ignite some of the lower branches. The two trees caught fire before he could get down. His body was found on the ground.
Fires should not be set underneath a tree in which an operator is working.
He had placed the ladder against another tree approximately 2.5 metres from the tree to be felled. It appears he was attempting to attach a rope to the dead tree’s branch in order to control the direction it would fall after it had been cut. Ladders were still in place against the tree after the accident it is unclear how he fell.
A new ride for shooting was being created in a wooded quarry. The tractor was not fitted with either rollover protection or a seat restraint, even though it was being used in an area where there was a high risk of overturning.
Vehicles used in treework should be suitable for the environment and terrain in which they are used and should provide the appropriate level of operator protection.
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