Tree Felling & Sectioning Risk Assessment Template

Typical hazards & measures

• Overhead power lines — Contact the network operator prior to work; mark safe approach distances; erect goalposts and barriers for plant; avoid felling toward lines; maintain agreed clearances; appoint a spotter; do not enter exclusion zones unless isolation and authorization are in place.
• Barber-chair in vertical stems — Assess for tension, decay and species prone to splitting; use wide open face and sufficient hinge; avoid forcing cuts; employ bore cut technique correctly; pre tension with winch where needed; monitor signs of lift and stop to re plan; keep all staff out of arc.
• Low light and night operations — Avoid dusk or night unless essential; if required, deploy glare free site lighting that does not blind the cutting plane; mark exclusion zones with illuminated barriers; ensure high visibility and reflective PPE; increase radio checks; pause if visibility drops below plan limits.
• Slips, trips and uneven ground — Clear footing around base; stack brash to avoid rolling; wear chainsaw boots with grip; deploy matting or steps on mud and slopes; maintain housekeeping to keep escape routes open; illuminate in low visibility; stop work if underfoot stability deteriorates due to weather.
• Fell direction and escape routes — Plan felling with method statement; confirm lean, wind and defects; mark hinge and two escape paths; clear footing; set exclusion zones with a banksman; use open face notch and correct back cut; maintain sight of crown; retreat along planned route on the go command.