Maidenhead Tree Surgeon Berkshire: Trees are an important feature of many gardens and properties in Maidenhead, and they will often transform a largely two dimensional area by adding substance, structure and style. However, when trees are neglected or have been impacted by extreme weather conditions, for example flooding or gales, problems may occur. The safest option if there's work that needs performing on your trees, is to seek advice from an experienced tree surgeon in Maidenhead.
Hiring an unqualified individual for tree work or attempting to do the work on your own, could harm your trees, cause damage to property, or even lead to injury or death. However, even for skilled tree surgeons who are acquainted with all the hazards, tree work is not entirely safe. Tree surgery is definitely not a job for amateurs, and on average there are three deaths and a hundred and forty severe injuries a year within the industry, making it among the most dangerous jobs in the United Kingdom.
With falling branches and trees causing around five fatalities each year in Britain, a threat to life can even be caused by a damaged or neglected tree. You may be liable for any compensation to a third-party due to the consequences of your actions, if you employ somebody to conduct tree work and an injury occurs, or property is damaged. These are merely a few of the reasons why using the services of a competent Maidenhead tree surgeon to do the work on your trees is imperative. (The above figures were sourced from HSE).
PICKING A TREE SURGEON IN MAIDENHEAD - A qualified Maidenhead tree surgeon ought to be a signed up member of at least one of the two industry bodies found in the UK. The membership and professional standing of any tree surgeon in Maidenhead can be checked on the websites of both the AA (Arboricultural Association) and the ISA (International Society of Arboriculture). On this website you can check membership of either of these 2 associations, which gives the tree surgeon in question, recognised Approved ARB Contractor status.
For mediation assistance and for guidance and help at any point during or after the work has been completed, you're able to speak to either of these industry bodies.
If anybody who isn't on this directory offers you a quotation, you should politely decline their offer of work and carry on your search for an accredited contractor. It's a good idea to get at least three different quotations from various companies in the Maidenhead area, when you have meticulously checked their professional qualifications and associations. There are a number of vital questions that you must ask while you are acquiring the quotes, and due to the risks involved in tree work, you should tell them that you really need the answers. You should for example ask:
- Do you supply quotations in writing? Verbal quotes alone are not sufficient. Always get a written quote.
- Can I inspect the quality of your tree work by contacting a person you've worked for recently? Doing an independent check on any recent work is always recommended.
- Can you provide documentary proof of your professional membership, qualifications and a NPTC certificate for the use of a chainsaw? The NPTC/LANTRA is a required certificate in law for any tree surgeon/worker who uses a chainsaw. City and Guilds National Diplomas and Certificates in Arboriculture are qualifications that could be held by a trained Maidenhead tree surgeon.
- Exactly what level of insurance coverage have you got? Your tree surgeon should be able to produce an insurance certificate covering a minimum of five million pounds public liability, as recommended by the ISA and AA.
The written quotation should include easy to follow details of the tree work to be undertaken. It should state who's responsible for the removal of tree branches, stumps and debris, and should also include details about any trees which might be protected in law, and the steps required to obtain permission to carry out work on them. You should also make certain that VAT is included on the quote unless you're a commercial business. It is vitally important to realise that you have a responsibility for hiring only qualified tradespeople to work on your property and trees. This is laid out by the "Common law duty of care responsibilities under the Occupier's Liability Acts of 1957 and 1984."
PRIOR TO WORK - Your preferred Maidenhead tree surgeon should make enquiries into the possibility of any trees being protected in your area and make the appropriate steps to make certain that any work can get the green light from the local authority. To ensure public safety, even protected trees require maintenance so as to cut back dead or damaged wood, so discovering that a tree is protected doesn't suggest that you are unable to carry out necessary work.
If your property in Maidenhead is situated in a designated conservation area then at least six weeks written notice is required to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) before any tree work can be carried out. This notice is not required if the trunk of the tree is less than 7.5cm in diameter when measured at 1.5m from ground level. Also, if the branches of a protected tree need to be thinned or pruned to sustain and promote growth, written notice will not be necessary.
After assessing the health of your trees, your chosen Maidenhead tree surgeon will decide on the appropriate treatments and how the required outcome can safely be accomplished. Where there's any chance of falling debris, a risk assessment will have to be performed on public areas, your property, and sections of a neighbour's property that could be impacted. At this stage, the amount of operatives needed and the level of protection required will also be ascertained. This is both personal protective equipment (PPE) along with other safety precautions to keep the public and other property safe from harm or damage.
ON THE DAY OF WORK - Before any cutting of branches, climbing or tree felling commences, safety measures and barriers will be put in place to keep unauthorised persons and passers-by away from the area of work. Where there is a chance of debris crashing onto a public highway, it may be necessary to temporarily stop the traffic.
The tree surgeon will need different levels of protection subject to the kind of work being executed. At the bare minimum they're going to be wearing protective clothing to prevent serious cutting injuries to the legs, torso and hands, when doing chainsaw work. Eye and head protection, and hi-vis clothing, should be worn by all operatives involved in the work.
Additional staff will usually be required to assist in the removal of high branches and heavy sections of tree trunk, particularly if any working at height is involved, and where ladders and associated climbing equipment is being used. For taking waste materials away from the area, a skip or truck will be stationed as close as possible to the area. This need for easy access is as good a reason as any for informing your neighbours of the planned work.
AFTER COMPLETION OF WORK - When the work has been finished all of the waste materials will be transported away and the area cleared of all debris. Especially when the trees are protected, a certificate of work should then be prepared by your tree surgeon, which will be signed off and a copy given to you. Any safety measures that were put in public spaces can then be taken down, with paths and roads being re-opened to the public.
Problems or issues should be rectified immediately by approaching the tree surgeon directly. If your tree surgeon is a signed up member of a professional body, you can obtain guidance and help from the AA or the ISA so as to arrive at an acceptable conclusion, if any further arbitration is needed.
Locally based Maidenhead tree surgery services will likely have the dialling code 01628 and the postcode SL6. They'll operate in Maidenhead itself, together with nearby areas such as Dorney Reach, Littlewick Green, Burchett's Green, Pinkneys Green, Holyport, Furze Platt, Woolley Green, Knowl Hill, Cockpole Green, Courtlands, Littlefield Green, Ruscombe, Cookham, Lent Rise, Burnham, Wargrave, Bisham, Twyford, Bray, Bray Wick, Waltham St Lawrence, North Town, Taplow, White Waltham, Warren Row, Hitcham, Touchen-End, and these postcodes: SL6 1EA, SL6 1LB, SL6 1JY, SL6 1BS, SL6 1RX, SL6 0WS, SL6 1ED, SL6 0RL, SL6 0XH, SL6.
If you need this type of assistance it is definitely far better to use an approved local tree surgeon. Maidenhead property owners can benefit greatly from the skills and knowledge that are the trademark of a trained professional.
Cable Bracing Maidenhead
In certain circumstances where a tree shows signs of decay, damage, or is a hazard to nearby property or persons, a procedure called cable bracing may be used to give support to the tree. When older or valuable trees in Maidenhead are involved, cable bracing is generally used where it's unsatisfactory to chop down a tree or remove large sections that are unsafe or unstable.
A cable bracing system can be implemented to support defective joints, weak limbs and V-shaped forks. Most tree surgeons in Maidenhead will be equipped to carry out different forms of bracing work by the installation of rods and cables to help mitigate structural stresses and extend the lifespan of specimen trees.
Cable bracing has the goal of offering a flexible and shock-absorbing means of support that's non-invasive and does not cause damage to the tree by having to drill and bolt the branches. Before any actual cable bracing work can proceed, an extensive risk risk assessment should be done to guarantee the safety of the tree and surrounding areas.
The Use of Chainsaws
The most common piece of equipment that Maidenhead tree surgeons use is the chainsaw. It's a versatile and effective tool, but in unskilled hands, also a dangerous one. Because of their ease of use and portability, petrol chainsaws are the most preferred by professionals, although battery and mains electric models are available. Where large tree stems and thick branches need cutting, such heavy tree work calls for the use of the most robust and powerful petrol driven chainsaws.
Basically, a chainsaw consists of a revolving motor-driven chain which has a set of razor-sharp teeth for cutting through bark and inner wood. There are also a variety of styles of chainsaw, top-handled for working at height (and which can be used with one hand), rear-handled for working on the ground (must always be used with two hands) and pole saws for long distance pruning and hard to reach branches.
Although clambouring up a tree with a twirling blade in your hand is a somewhat dangerous activity, you will rarely see an experienced Maidenhead tree surgeon who doesn't use a chainsaw. All professional tree surgeons must be trained in the maintenance and safe use of chainsaws, and this is one of the main conditions for gaining membership of the AA (Arboricultural Association).
There are numerous different makes of chainsaw, but the most popular ones used by professional tree surgeons in the UK are Makita, Stihl, Husqvarna and Hyundai.
Eco-Plugging Maidenhead
The typical procedure employed for removing tree stumps by most Maidenhead tree surgeons is stump grinding. However, these days "eco-plugging" is touted as a more affordable alternative to this process. This technique isn't just helpful because it's cheaper, but also because it can be used in hard-to-reach locations which are inaccessible to stump grinding equipment.
Eco-plugging is an effective treatment for killing off tree stumps and does not affect any nearby trees and vegetation. Eco-plugs kill off the entire root system of the stump and can be employed at any time of the year and in all weather. Effective for use on a variety of tree species, eco-plugs are 95-100 percent effective and contain a type of granular glyphosate herbicide. (Tags: Eco-Plug Treatments Maidenhead, Eco-Plugs Maidenhead, Eco-Plugging Maidenhead, Eco-Plugging Tree Stumps Maidenhead).
Air-Spading Maidenhead
When you are concerned about the overall health of a tree, it might be due to various problems, but issues with the root system is a commonplace cause of such concerns. In order to check for soil compaction, root rot, or other issues, a local tree surgeon in Maidenhead might need to get at the root system of your tree.
This was somewhat problematic to achieve previously, because during the digging down process, the roots could be easily damaged. Some contemporary tree surgeons in Maidenhead use a method known as "air spading", which employs compressed air to successfully break up and clear away compacted soil without any risk of damaging the tree's roots, or any underground utility lines that happen to be nearby.
Sometimes, heavy foot traffic, passing vehicles or construction work can cause the soil around a tree's roots to become compacted, and this can have an adverse effect on its health. When a tree becomes "stressed" it's more vulnerable to attacks by diseases, pests and insects, and this stress can be caused by a lack of nutrients and water. Also a good technique for resolving root flare problems, air-spading can be employed to effectively remove the soil from the base of a tree which has become covered in too much soil, increasing the chances of root rot.
By forcing air into voids in the soil at speeds of up to twelve hundred miles per hour through the use of an air compressor and an air-spade, the innovative air-spading process quickly breaks down the soil without damaging harming the tree roots. Immediate inspection is possible, as the powerful flow of air blows away the soil from the roots. The previously compact soil can then be replaced with wood mulch and fertiliser to rejuvenate the tree, and remedy any problems.
Accidents Through Tree Surgery
As I have already mentioned, the work that tree surgeons in Maidenhead do, involves a high level of danger. With a high risk of injuries to both operatives and passers-by, all possible safety measures should be implemented when carrying out work on trees.
The majority of fatal and serious injuries are linked to falls from trees, the use of chainsaws, and being hit by a falling branch or tree, according to the HSE. In fact, the risk of being seriously injured is greater in tree care work than it is for those in the construction sector.
The most frequent tree care accidents are being struck by objects (cranes, trees, ropes, branches, grapple hooks etc), falling from ladders and lifting injuries, when it comes to insurance claims.
This will all help you appreciate why it's so crucial to choose a seasoned tree surgeon in Maidenhead. In the tree care sector, the majority of accidents are down to unskilled workers trying to carry out tasks that they are not trained to do, or capable of. Consequently, using a reputable and established Maidenhead company that has been operating in the local area for a good few years, is the best way to avoid such problems.
Day to Day Tasks for a Tree Surgeon
- Deal with clients and complete administrative tasks.
- Produce tree survey reports for both domestic and commercial clients.
- Clean up site upon completion and fulfil removal of waste product from customer's site.
- Evaluate the health of trees and create plan of action.
- Cut and chip logs and branches.
- Identify hazards posed by trees.
- Climb trees to remove or prune branches as required.
- Fell and remove trees and grind stumps.
- Maintain and service equipment like chippers and chainsaws.
- Produce on-site or telephone quotations for clients.
- Be competent using power tools and powered machinery.
- Tree planting and transplanting.
Storm Damage Prevention Maidenhead
When looking at a strong, sturdy tree standing proudly in your garden it is hard to picture it ever toppling to the ground. Certain tree varieties can thrive and survive without any problem for several hundred years, in particular oaks, sweet chestnuts and yews.
Nonetheless, they can be extremely susceptible to the elements when confronted by certain conditions, and it is not simply the danger of falling tree limbs or branches, but in times of severe weather the entire tree can fall over. Trees have got one major weather related enemy, and that is high winds. As extreme weather events and severe storms become more and more commonplace with climate change, this kind of damage will occur much more frequently in Maidenhead. Waterlogged soil during floods or prolonged periods of rain can be another issue, as can heavy snow.
To lessen the chance of issues with your trees in times of severe weather, it is advisable to get a local Maidenhead tree surgeon to check them out every now and then, and prune any dead or overhanging branches.
Lightning rods, copper conductors, or other protection systems are also recommended for bigger trees, to lessen the chances of them being struck by lightning and to protect nearby property and buildings which may be susceptible to side-flashes ("jumps") that result in more damage, along with harm done to the tree itself. A tree that's struck by lightning can be severely weakened or even killed, a weakened tree can be left susceptible to disease, decay or pests. For those of you who believe that lightning isn't all that common, there are approximately three hundred thousand strikes in Great Britain every year.
Ask your local Maidenhead tree surgery firm what they can do to safeguard your trees from being damaged by storms and reduce the chance of serious consequences should an unsound tree topple over as a result of extreme weather conditions.
Tree Surgery Tasks Maidenhead
Maidenhead tree surgeons can usually help you with dead-wooding, tree planning, tree lightening protection, stump removal, tree maintenance, hazard assessment, landscape clearance, cut sealing, tree topping, root grinding, safety inspections, stump grinding, pollarding, vegetation management, monitoring of tree health, arboriculture, pest management, dead wooding, fruit tree pruning, decompaction, airspading, coppicing, tree staking, crown raising, brush cutting, site clearance, damage restoration in Maidenhead, root pruning, tree care, landscaping Maidenhead and other tree surgeon services in Maidenhead, Berkshire. These are just a small portion of the activities that are handled by a tree surgeon. Maidenhead professionals will be happy to tell you about their full range of services.
Tree Surgeons Nearby
Also find: Furze Platt tree surgeon, Taplow tree surgeon, Courtlands tree surgeon, Cockpole Green tree surgeon, Littlefield Green tree surgeon, Wargrave tree surgeon, Warren Row tree surgeon, Burchett's Green tree surgeon, Bray tree surgeon, Woolley Green tree surgeon, Bray Wick tree surgeon, Touchen-End tree surgeon, Hitcham tree surgeon, North Town tree surgeon, Littlewick Green tree surgeon, Dorney Reach tree surgeon, Ruscombe tree surgeon, Holyport tree surgeon, Knowl Hill tree surgeon, Pinkneys Green tree surgeon, Lent Rise tree surgeon, Bisham tree surgeon and more. The majority of these places are catered for by tree surgeons. Business and home owners in the area can acquire quotations for tree surgery by clicking here.
Tree Care Services Maidenhead
- Maidenhead Dead Wooding
- Maidenhead Tree Dismantling
- Maidenhead Hedge Cutting
- Maidenhead Crown Raising
- Maidenhead Stump Grinding
- Maidenhead Tree Inspections
- Maidenhead Tree Pruning
- Maidenhead Tree Felling
- Maidenhead Tree Cutting
- Maidenhead Site Clearance
- Maidenhead Tree Care
- Maidenhead Tree Reduction
- Maidenhead Shrub Maintenance
- Maidenhead Arboriculture
Tree Surgeon Jobs Maidenhead: Find Maidenhead tree surgeon jobs here: Tree Surgeon Jobs Maidenhead
If you want local information regarding Maidenhead, Berkshire go here
Tree Surgery SL6 area, 01628.
Arboriculture Maidenhead - Tree Felling Maidenhead - Tree Management Maidenhead - Tree Surgeon Maidenhead - Tree Surgery Maidenhead - Crown Reduction Maidenhead - Tree Surgeons Maidenhead - Tree Care Maidenhead - 01628