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February 26, 2014

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Experts call for tree safety following severe storms

 

Safety experts are urging landowners and local authorities to be aware of the dangers of working with trees.
 
In October last year, three people became fatal victims of the St Jude Storm, including 17-year-old Bethany Freeman who died after a tree crushed the caravan she was in.
 
After further storms earlier this month, 77-year-old Bob Thomas was hit by a falling tree in his garden in Caernarfon, Wales. He later died in hospital.
 
In reaction to the worst winter storms to hit the UK in two decades, IOSH visited Suffolk today (26 February) to make sure that rural workers are exercising caution when it comes to working with trees. 
 
The event, organised with the IOSH rural industries group and with the support of local businesses, provided practical demonstrations of good practice and sensible precautions for hazardous tree work and groundcare operations. 
 
Ivan Searle, event organiser for the IOSH East Anglia branch, said: “People could be seriously hurt — especially during the severe weather conditions we have been experiencing. In strong winds and heavy rain, trees are more likely than ever to fall and cause damage.
 
“Recent failures of power supply and the rail and road network as a result of the storms highlight the importance of sound preventive maintenance and the need to ensure competent contractors and fully-trained operators are used to carry out clearance operations safely — particularly in hazardous and arduous conditions.”
 
More than 100 health and safety professionals, tree specialists, landowners and grounds maintenance workers from across the UK gathered at the Santon Downham Centre in Suffolk to discuss good practice in issues relating to land maintenance.
 
“Workers not only risk death or serious injury, falling from a tree or being pulled into a shredder, their health can also be harmed by hazardous chemicals, plant saps, insects such as the oak processionary moth, which can cause severe irritation. More significantly though, noise and vibration from operating machinery can cause permanent damage and need to be better understood and managed in this industry.
 
“Following on from the recent spate of severe weather and the wettest winter on record, the soil and tree root systems may have been damaged and trees need to be checked to ensure they are safe and not likely to fall.”
 
Speakers at the event included Paul Smith, technical officer at the Aboricultural Association, Reg Harris, director at Urban Forestry, Neil Huck, national training manager for Ground Control, John Haddon, public safety advisor from UK Power Networks and Frances Hirst, HSE’s lead inspector on aboriculture.

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