When Hurricane Helene tore through western South Carolina in September 2024, it left behind a trail of fallen-tree wreckage, which many communities have worked to clear away well into 2025.
This challenging work has again highlighted the significant dangers of tree work, both from emergency work to address damaged trees and from the regular work needed to trim and maintain them.
In both cases, cities need to be careful to hire only licensed tree care businesses and experienced professionals to cut trees. Arborists and tree workers certified by the International Society of Arboriculture must pass a written test of basic arboricultural knowledge and attend continuing education courses to maintain their certification. Ask for a Certificate of Insurance and request that the municipality be named as an additional insured before the work begins.
Also in both cases, cities can require personal protective equipment, or PPE, for any city workers assigned to tree trimming. This includes safety glasses, a helmet, gloves and ear protection when the workers use power equipment. Workers operating chainsaws should have proper training in their use, and should wear chainsaw chaps protecting their legs if working from the ground.
Responding to storm damage
In addition to fully uprooted trees, storms can break branches that pose hazards to pedestrians, vehicles, buildings and powerlines. That in turn can create liability exposure for cities and towns in cases where the trees are on municipal property.
After a storm, it’s critical to perform hazard inspections. When hazards exist, cities need to be able to mark the hazardous trees and address them as soon as possible, potentially closing off parks or other affected public areas temporarily.
If there are any twisted, dead or broken limbs, the city will need to remove them to minimize the chance of a future loss. If limbs are close to utility lines, report them immediately to the local power company. Never attempt to move downed utility lines or trees touching utility lines.
Routine maintenance
Publicly owned trees like those in a park or positioned along downtown sidewalks should be properly maintained to keep them healthy, safe and capable of providing shade and property appeal. Good tree maintenance begins with regular inspections to determine if a tree needs pruning, mulching, fertilizing, irrigation or pest management.
The American National Standards Institute and the International Society of Arboriculture publish tree pruning and safety standards, known as the ANSI A300 (Part 1) Pruning Standard. The standards are highly technical, providing diagrams of the order in which to apply specific cuts to a tree, making its removal as safe as possible while also minimizing harm to the tree. Just as with emergency tree work, workers should perform hazard inspections of trees and their surroundings before getting started.
Regular tree pruning needs to happen when the trees are dormant. Deciduous trees, or trees that shed their leaves at the end of the growing season, typically have a period of inactivity during the winter.
It’s also important to avoid “topping” trees. Topping refers to removing the entire top of a tree, such as removing a portion of its trunk or primary branches. It significantly stresses the tree and leaves behind wounds that are prone to disease and decay, making the tree less safe and reducing its lifespan and aesthetic appeal.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration maintains numerous resources for understanding and guarding against the hazards of tree care work. Learn more online.