Course overview
Training and assessment in the clearing of individual and multiple windblown trees, which still have the root plates attached. This training will cover trees that have been windblown or uprooted by storm damage, earth movement or another physical agent. The trees will not be in a position that requires assistance from emergency services or utility companies.The trees will be intermeshed in a complex fashion so that a planned order of approach will be necessary to complete the work. The order of work will often involve the severing and extraction of part-blown and wind-snapped trees prior to severing root-plates from fully blown stems.The trees will be both over and under guide-bar length in diameter and will be both fully and partially uprooted. This also includes the severing of root-plates that overhang the chainsaw operator’s cutting position using mechanical or other appropriate machinery for restraint as well as the severing of partly blown (leaning) trees and the felling of wind-snapped (broken) trees with and without the tops attached. Winches or other appropriate machinery may also be used for restraint of trees with side tension or where the stem is likely to roll.The course covers:• Site safety and personal protective equipment (PPE)• Regulations and safety requirements• Assessing lying, windblown and broken timber and deciding on appropriate action• Cutting windblown trees using appropriate techniques• Operating a winch to control movement of root plates