Traditionally, utility tree care has been frowned upon by certain elements of the arboricultural establishment and the knowing public alike. To them, it is typically associated with poor standards of pruning and safety. To them, there just is no need for disfigured trees covered in wounds from climbing spurs. And, of course they are correct: Poor arboricultural practices encourage decay, defects and diseases that threaten not only the health, safety and amenity value of trees, but also the safety of power lines, adjacent property and passing persons. Poor pruning can also cause rapid sprouting of shoots into adjacent power lines. These two facts cost DNOs (Distribution Network Operators) in terms of unplanned disruption and tree owner disputes, and brings the arboriculture industry into disripute.

Trained utility arborists encourage trees to grow away from power lines, with proper pruning techniques, that take no extra time. They can advise on necessary work via straight forward visual tree assessment methodologies, keeping costs down for DNOs by avoiding unnecessary felling and prioritising hazards. They climb trees with rope techniques without causing physical injury to the trees - this is also quicker safer and easier than using spurs. They successfully liase with landowners to achieve a practical compromise, between sustaining power and ensuring tree health & safety. This puts landowners at ease, and reduces the number of unnecessary restricted cuts and tree owner disputes.

Tree work has enough hazards of its own without the additional risk of close proximity power lines. Because of this, utility arborists need to have a thorough understanding of risk assessment methodologies beyond their normal work - they can rarely utilise elevating platforms for access, and so must be adequately trained in safe systems of work for trees in close proximity to overhead lines. Arborists abreast of the latest regulations, employ sophisticated climbing and rigging equipment to ensure safety, quality and efficiency. They respect the property of landowners and the transmission equipment of the DNOs, preventing landowner disputes and unplanned disruptions. In return, the utility tree care companies can afford to invest in their employees with training and equipment that makes their daily work easier, safer and more efficient. They take pride in maintaining two of the essential elements of modern day survival - retaining trees and maintaining power.

The better tree care contractors today, do not wish to be associated with those that carry out unsatisfactory (and unnecessary) work. Understandably, they become upset when they see other tree workers, sometimes contracted to the same DNO, use unsafe practices and damaging utility equipment, property and trees. The only excuse for poor pruning (stubs and flush cuts that encourage disease and decay), and poor standards of work (the use of spurs on retained trees, a disregard for HSE regulations, and leaving property untidy and damaged) is ignorance, and that is no excuse at all.

It is ignorance on both the part of some DNOs and their tree contractors, that is the cause of so much poor quality tree work seen in close proximity to power lines. Poor quality tree pruning often goes hand in hand with poor work standards - if tree cutters don't know how to prune properly, they are hardly likely to comply with health and safety regulations, and vice-versa. Tree owners need to be reassured that their property is to be treated with respect and trees pruned to the British standard (BS3998: 1989).

Everything can seem perfectly normal to an untrained eye. The problems start when an accident arises, or tree owners/ landowners complain of property damage. It is relatively easy to prove arboricultural best practice for pruning and tree work operations. And in the case of an accident, the HSE have a very heavy book indeed to throw. But to whom is the book thrown?

Utility tree work contractors must ensure that they are operating within all of the regulations relevant to their work. Standards of work must meet or exceed those outlined in the G55/1 engineering recommendations: safe tree working in proximity to overhead power lines. Regulation 14 of the Electricity at Work Regulations (1989) must be implemented; live line work must be totally justified with a formal risk assessment. In addition, tree work contractors must comply with the following Health & Safety regulations and industry recommendations:


. Management of the Health & Safety at Work Act
. Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1992
. Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER)
. Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
. Arboriculture & Forestry Safety Guides for industry best practice

All employees should be appropriately trained for the tasks and equipment put before them. To comply with the above regulations, certificates of competence for chainsaw operations in close proximity to overhead power lines, should be attained. And the last link in the system, because of the risks involved with such operations, the DNOs must ensure regular safety audits of tree work contractors.

If you undertake tree work contracts in close proximity to overhead powerlines, are you sure you are operating to industry best practice? Falls from height are the HSE's current objective. With one phone call to the DNOs control, they can pin point where crews are working that day and pay a visit. Could you prove your compliance with the regulations if investigated by the HSE? Could you prove adequate procedures to ensure your employees safety?

If not, you should - it is your duty of care.