Hazard Tree Felling - Hang-ups

Felling a hung-up hazard tree is a particularly hazardous and complex task. Safely felling a hang-up requires extreme caution and expertise.

The following are some topics sawyers should review during tailgate safety discussions to address felling hang-up hazard trees:

Size up and Evaluation:

• Cut/No Cut (walk-away). Is tree secure and does it need to come down?
• What type of hang-up? In a fork, pinched between two trees, or resting on limbs?
• Vertical hang-ups have increased complexities.
• Condition of all relevant trees live, dead, rot, etc. Does the hang-up tree have any weak areas that could fail?
• Obscured view of top?
• If sawyer is unsure of the outcome, do not attempt to cut a leaner.

Operational Considerations:

• Escape routes for unforeseen circumstances?
• Consider falling trees as a group.
• Consider face cuts versus slash cuts for directional control.
• Rope technique allows increased distance from danger zones.

Alternative Mitigations:

• Blasting.
• Heavy equipment/cable.
• No Work Zones.

Discuss any personal lessons learned with hang-up trees that you may have experienced.