Felling Small Trees
Course Objectives
To enable course members to:
- Identify the Risk Assessment and Emergency procedures on a work site
- Organise site safety and state the procedures required
- Assess the trees to be felled for hazards and risks
- Fell trees that have a diameter of less then the effective cutting length of the guide bar.
- Guide bar length not to exceed 380mm (15")
- Assess a leaning tree and the safest method of felling
- Make accurate cuts in the correct positions
- Delimb felled trees in a safe and methodical manner
- Cross-cut timber accurately to required lengths
- Assess and explain the terms 'tension' and 'compression' in timber
- Adopt safe procedurtes to remove a trapped guide bar
- Handle and stack timber in a safe manner
- Assess a hung-up tree and the safest method of take down
- Select and prepare equipment required for safe and effective take down
- Check on the safety of takedown tools
- Make accurate severing cuts in the correct positions
- Select and use hand tools safely
- Take down hung-up trees to a safe and stable position
- State unsafe practices which must not be adopted
NB: In undertaking the above objectives, the operator should wear the correct protective clothing, and be standing on firm ground. The chainsaw should never be operated above shoulder height.
Who is the course for?
This course is for novice operators with little or no experience of chainsaw felling, who have attended the basic course "Chainsaw maintenance and cross-cutting" and are required to operate chainsaws for felling to guide bar length.
Duration/Format
- Novice trainees: 3 long days - when daylight permits - This is the minimum duration, and some trainees may need further consolidation.
- Experienced operators: 2 days (Evidence of experience required)
Course Content
- Felling demonstration
- Felling trees up to 380mm diameter
- Additional felling techniques
- De-limbing felled trees
- Cross cutting trunks of felled trees
- Takedown of Hung-up trees