 When Kramer Tree Specialists bought its first crane in 1991, the approach to safety training was, well, basic. Basic in the sense that crews were sent out with the instructions, ‘Just be careful.’All too often, that’s the approach companies take when it comes to using cranes for tree removal, says Todd Kramer, director of field operations and education at the West Chicago, Ill., company. After two decades of climbing trees – and some hard-learned lessons – Kramer has defined a list of training and communication techniques, which he now shares with others in the industry. At New England Grows in early February, Kramer provided an audience with his tips and tricks for using cranes when it comes to tree removal. “One thing about crane work that I do believe in – I firmly believe in – is it is the absolute safest way to cut a tree down because you’re never putting force back into the tree,” he says. “But I also feel it can be the absolute most dangerous way to dismantle trees.” That risk comes into play when employees aren’t trained, the job has not been completely thought out and there is a lack of communication among crewmembers. Once arriving at a job site, a crewmember will be in a tree, saws, ropes, large equipment all will be involved, perhaps the spacing presents challenges – it’s not a time to improvise. “The thing about cranes is when you’re wrong, it could be absolutely catastrophic,” Kramer says. Cranes can flip and people can get hurt. So to ensure safety and a job well done, Kramer runs through a to-do list of sorts. An essential first step for using a crane to remove a tree is developing a job briefing. To create a job briefing, the entire crew should sit down and discuss the tree removal process. During the process, someone should document the plan that is created. If something goes wrong, Kramer says, a written job briefing can be revisited to see where things went wrong and it holds each crewmember accountable. Here are the elements Kramer suggests including in the brief: Hazards and Obstacles. Kramer’s crews usually involve four members and they begin the job briefing by identifying and mitigating any hazards or obstacles that could come up during the process of removing the tree. By understanding the obstacles you might face on the job, solutions or a contingency plan can be designed in advance. Plan Setup Area. Before arriving on site, it’s important to understand the area surrounding the tree. Possible questions to ask include: How close is the tree to utilities or to other structures? Cranes must be on solid ground with large pads underneath and, above all, must be level. Cranes aren’t like working with a truck, Kramer says. If it isn’t level, side loading will occur. Also, prepare for the outriggers to be at least 8 feet from the foundation of the crane. In taking all of that information into account, where does the crane specifically need to be placed? Rigging and Communication. The third discussion point for the job briefing should be the rigging and communication plan. “Communication, in my opinion, is going to be the greatest factor – communication between the crane operator and the riggers and cutters, whether climbing or in the aerial lift,” Kramer says. First and foremost, every member of the crew, not just the climber and the crane operator, should know crane hand signals. “Simply because when the guys are doing the dismantling on the ground, the disposal, there is still going to be some work to be done with the operator as far as moving the load around,” Kramer says. “They need to know the hand signals.” It’s important to discuss how the climber is going to get into the tree and, if known, will there be any challenges to communicating during the process. Sometimes the crane operator might not be able to see the person in the tree, Kramer says. In that case, a crewmember on the ground may be required. Another option is a voice activated radio that is strapped to the arm. “I’ve personally never had a good experience with radios,” Kramer says. Discussing rigging is important because that aspect of the job is one of the biggest mistakes Kramer sees, and it’s due to the fact that the crane industry is not designed for tree work. “A professional crane operator, a professional crane company, they have standard operating procedures for lifting certain things, whether it’s air conditioners, pieces of steel,” he says. “Those have predetermined rigging points as far as where to lift it and trees don’t. Most of the mistakes I see is really bad rigging. When the piece is actually cut because it’s not balanced correctly, there’s a lot of movement and that movement creates a hazard to the climber or the bucket truck operator, obviously as far as getting hit by the actual load.” Crane Inspection. Before starting a job, it’s essential to make sure the rigging and crane equipment are functioning properly. Kramer suggests always using your own rigging equipment. Inspecting the crane especially comes into play when renting a crane (see sidebar), but it’s essential to know things like the crane’s configuration and the capacity of the weight it can hold. Work Plan. Outline the responsibilities each crewmember will have during the job. This ensures that all aspects of the removal process are covered and documented. Summary. Once the job briefing is finalized, have each crewmember sign the document. If equipment and a crane operator are being rented, that person should also be involved with and sign off on the job briefing. “Once you document a job briefing, people tend to listen more,” Kramer says. “You have to have accountability if you’re going to put your name on it.” The author is an associate editor at Lawn & Landscape. She can be reached at clawell@gie.net. |
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