All you need to know about tree safety rules (From Gazette & Herald)

All you need to know about tree safety rules

2:36pm Wednesday 21st December 2011 in Farming news

A FREE guide giving advice on tree safety has been produced for farmers and landowners.

Common Sense Risk Management of Trees, published by the National Tree Safety Group (NTSG), provides guidance for inspecting and maintaining trees as well as an overview of health and safety obligations.

CLA forestry advisor Mike Seville, who was involved in compiling the new guide, said: “This guide cuts through the hype and emotion that so often surrounds tree safety and identifies the real risk that trees pose to public safety which is, in fact, extremely low.

“It proposes reasonable and pragmatic guidance that should allow landowners and managers to feel comfortable that they are discharging their legal and moral responsibilities.”

Research commissioned by the NTSG has shown that fatalities as the result of tree failure are extremely rare, averaging just six per year.

The likelihood of being killed by a tree is one in 10 million, compared to one in 16,800 of being killed in a road accident.

Mike added: “When it comes to non-fatal injury, you are 40 times more likely to be injured by a wheelie bin than a tree. By contrast the benefits that trees deliver to society are well documented and increasingly appreciated.”

A copy of the new guide is available to download at tinyurl.com/d3nyfur or by phoning the Forestry Commission on 0844 991 6500.