Cutting down your own tree can save you a lot of money, but is it worth the risk? Learn about the dangers involved with DIY tree removal before you grab your ladder and chainsaw.
There are various reasons for it to become necessary to cut down a tree in your property: a) so that you could keep your yard neat and attractive, b) if a tree becomes rotten or poses a threat to your loved ones or home, c) to make room for another structure. You might be tempted to make a go at it yourself to save money, but it’s important to realize that cutting down trees, or even trimming trees, is a hazardous activity. It requires specialized knowledge in a variety of areas, such as cutting techniques, dangerous tools, physics, and more.
Common Tree Cutting Risks
- Falling trees, limbs and branches. – Cutting down trees entails removal of branches before eventually cutting the tree down itself. You risk either being hit by the branches and loose tree limbs, or by the tree. A simple YouTube search will yield dozens of videos of people, just like you, cutting down trees that then fall on their homes, vehicles, roadways, or electrical poles. If you’re not an experienced tree cutter, it’s a safe bet that you will miscalculate the angle of the fall or underestimate the height of the tree and damage your property or your neighbor’s. Worse, you might end up like this man from Mississippi who was killed in a tree-cutting accident. Sadly, his is not the only tree-cutting story that ended in tragedy.
- Falling from a great height. – One of the primary dangers when working from a great height is falling. This danger is further exacerbated if you need to bend away from your center of gravity to work away at a branch or if you are handling cumbersome tools.
- Falling trees can land on power lines as they are being cut, damaging them. If your tree hits a power line, you are risking electrocution, and even starting a fire.
- Injury with tools. – OSHA requires tree-cutting professionals to use head-to-toe protective gear. They undergo extensive training in the proper use of dangerous equipment, such as chainsaws, ropes, cranes and wood chippers to successfully and safely cut, fell and dispose of trees. Regular folks who attempt to perform the task themselves without safety gear or the expertise to use the tools required for the job expose themselves to injury or even death.
Laws Regarding Cutting Down of Trees
You might not know it but in some places, you can’t just cut down trees just because they’re inside your property. Make sure to check state and local laws so that you don’t accidentally break them, thus getting in trouble with the authorities. Some important things to remember include:
- You may be forbidden from cutting a tree down no matter how much you want to do so depending on where you live and how old the tree is, where it’s situated, how healthy it is, and whether or not it actually poses a risk to property and life.
- You may need to secure a permit from the concerned government agency before you can remove a tree in your property.
- Conversely, some states reserve the right to remove trees on private properties that could affect the health and safety of other trees or people. However, they concerned government agency must first give notice to the owner to remove it themselves.
It may seem like a good idea to cut trees down yourself, but the reality is it isn’t worth the risk. It’s strongly recommended that you hire a professional arborist to do the job for you.
And, while it’s true that anybody can rent a chainsaw and a pickup truck and go to work on their own tree, the benefit to using a professional service is that you don’t have to worry.
Put worries about tumbling branches and heavy falling logs in the hands of somebody whose job is to prepare for these kinds of things.
Falling Tree Fellers
Of course, falling branches aren’t the only potential issue with a DIY tree felling.
There’s always the chance that the person cutting might fall, themselves.
There’s a lot to be said for the height at which a fall from a tree could damage your back or your knee or your head if you took it the wrong way. Even a short tumble from a younger tree could be lethal if you landed on your neck, or landed on a sharp branch.
Even the most careful tree owner is less likely to be ready for these dangers than a professional tree maintenance technician.
Electrocution
Even tree trimming professionals can run into issues with electrical lines.
Power lines hidden inside, or behind branches, or among thick brambles can fall under your chainsaw blade without a word of warning.
And results can vary from burning and disfigurement to being knocked out of the tree to one’s death.
Professionals know when and how to shut off power lines at the source. While a private tree owner might understand the workings of this system, they’re seldom licensed to do it. Any injuries from this kind of work almost always end up being their own responsibility.
Injury From Tools
Another problem with DIY tree removal operations is the potential of hurting yourself with dangerous tools.
Sophisticated chainsaw mechanisms, wood chippers, and cranes and pulleys can all malfunction.
There are specific protective outfits and safety measures to keep in mind. If an injury occurs, there are specific ways to treat them. It’s best to put this kind of work in the hands of someone trained in handling these kinds of emergencies.
Rotting Wood
One of the most common problems with DIY tree trimming is the question of rotting wood.
When a landscaper goes in to fell a tree, their priority is whether or not it is rotten or weakened. With a few choice wet or limp inches at any point along a branch, there’s a good chance it might break underneath your weight, without any warning.
Suddenly dropping out of a tall tree has its obvious dangers. Don’t risk your health or wellbeing by trying to do your tree work yourself. Do the smart thing, and let an expert handle it.
In Closing
It’s true anybody can cut down a tree, but that’s also true for lion taming, bomb disposal, or crocodile wrangling.
A job with dangers as severe as falling from a great height, electrocuting yourself, or being knocked out by a tree or branch shouldn’t be taken lightly. It’s important to realize this isn’t just something you can pick up in the moment, and do safely.
Interested in learning about more than just the dangers of tree removal? Get in touch with us for tree removal service information, or check out some of our other great blog posts on the topic, and get the job done better today.
