Client: Highways sector client
When: September 2022
With the presence of ash dieback becoming ever more prominent within the national tree stocks and the need for tree owners to manage the risks posed by the failure of these trees, it is paramount that the right processes to manage these risks are in place. Our teams have recently been involved in the first stage of a large project to remove a large volume of ash trees that are seriously affected with dieback. Following a survey, the trees were deemed too much of a risk for their current location and therefore needed to be removed.
Through the nature of ash dieback,it is often too dangerous for a climber to access and dismantle the tree using standard rope and harness techniques. Therefore, at Thompson Tree Services, we have planned for this and invested in the most efficient and safe plant equipment that allows our teams to reduce the risks posed by working with ashdieback, whilst maintaining our volume of work completed for clients. Dave Robinson, our Operations Director was the co-author of the Safety Guide 4: Use of Mobile Cranes in Tree Work, so we are well versed in the most industry safe practices that allow us to lead from the front when using our Jekko on sites.
Having the most efficient equipment allows us to provide our clients with a service that complies with all industry safety standards. We are constantly upskilling our teams in order to maintain their ability to work safely within what is a dangerous industry.
In the image at the top of the page, we are utilising the Jekko as a “false anchor” to allow our climber to access the crown of the tree that is severely affected by dieback and dismantle using freefall techniques. Managing the safety of our teams is paramount within everything that we do.
