The National Safety Council lists the top eight reasons DIYers visit the emergency room. Seven of those eight reasons can happen while you trim your trees. Those accidents are falls, cuts, falling objects, eye injuries, slips, burns, and insect bites. To avoid the trauma, incorporate these safety guidelines every time you trim trees.

Protective Safety Gear

Safety clothing and accessories are barriers to keep you from accidental harm. Choose a long-sleeve shirt and long pants to reduce insect bites. Add slip-resistant boots to prevent accidental slips and falls. Wear safety goggles to avoid eye injuries. Place a hard hat on your head to protect it from falling tree limbs and objects. Last, wear work gloves to get a firm grip as you operate equipment and remove cut branches. In addition, for noise and leg protection, wear earplugs and chaps when operating a chainsaw.

Prep Your Equipment for Tree Trimming

Get your equipment sharpened or oiled before you begin. If pruning shears, pole saws, chainsaws, or other pieces of equipment can’t be sharpened or oiled, get rid of them. Dull or rusty equipment will malfunction, causing cuts and other accidental harm.

Meanwhile, the ladder must be sturdy, stable, and well-maintained. It must be one foot away from the tree for every four feet of the ladder height. Lean straight ladders on a tree; slide a flat, even surface underneath step ladders. Be sure to clean the steps to avoid accidental slips and falls. Also, bring someone outside to hold the ladder while you work.

Remove or Avoid Hazards

Normally harmless items can become dangerous if you don’t remove them. They can cause trips, slips, and injuries. Examples are toys, rocks, fallen tree branches, lawn equipment, power tools, and bird feeders. Clear a radius pathway that’s twice the size of the tree. Trees and branches can fall in any direction, and you need the room to run in case something goes wrong. Also, remove items blocking your vision.

A major hazard to avoid is power lines. Some power lines tangle with tree branches, and some are above trees. When your equipment comes in contact with a power line, it causes electrical shock and burns. The same thing will occur if a body part or clothing accidentally touches a power line as you trim a tree branch. Therefore, focus on what you can reach and maintain a safe distance from them. For branches near a power line, contact a tree expert.

It’s all right if you don’t want to trim trees yourself. Our team will follow safety protocols to protect your family, neighbors, and ourselves. We have the training to assess the situation and prune out sections to improve your tree’s health. We have the technology and equipment to secure tree branches before cutting so we can control their fall, and we will clean up the area afterward. Contact us at Economy Tree, Inc. in Santa Barbara, CA for more information on our tree trimming and pruning service.