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ENGLISH
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OPERATION
Felling: Safety
Felling is the process of cutting down a tree. Follow
these safety precautions to reduce the risk of serious
injury, property damage and damage to electrical lines:
– Do not fell trees with an extreme lean. Do not fell
trees with rotten limbs, loose bark or hollow trunks.
Have these trees pushed or dragged down with heavy
equipment.
– Do not cut trees near buildings or electrical lines.
Leave these operations for professionals. If a felled
tree does contact an electrical line, notify the utility
company immediately.
– Check the tree for damaged or dead branches that
could fall and cause serious injury.
– Remove dirt, stones, loose bark, nails, wire and other
obstructions from the portion of the tree that will be
cut.
– When bucking and felling operations are performed
by two or more persons in the same general area,
they should be separated from each other by a
distance of at least twice the height of the tree to be
felled.
– Consider the force and direction of the wind.
Consider the lean and balance of the tree. Consider
the location of large branches. All of these factors
influence the direction that the tree will fall. Do not
try to fell a tree in a direction other than its natural
fall line.
– Do not fell trees during periods of precipitation or
high winds.
– Determine a safe and expedient escape route. Clear
the area around the tree and make sure there are no
obstructions blocking the escape route. Establish a
90º corridor of escape, approximately 135º from the
line of fall (Fig. 9).
– Stay uphill from the tree; it will most likely roll or
slide after it falls.
90°
Fig. 10
Planned
Line of Fall
135º From Planned
Line of Fall
Path of Safe
Retreat
Fig. 11
First Cut
Second Cut
Fig. 12
Notched
Undercut
First Cut
Second Cut
1/3 Diameter
135º From Planned
Line of Fall
Direction of Fall
Buttress Root
Fig. 9
Felling: Procedure
Small trees, up to 6 - 7 inches (15 - 18 cm) in diameter,
are usually felled in a single cut. Larger trees require a
sequence of two cutting operations: a notched undercut
followed by a felling back cut. It may also be necessary
to remove buttress roots.
Step 1: Removing Buttress Roots
Buttress roots are large roots that extend above the
ground and help support the tree. If the tree has large
buttress roots that might impede the felling process,
follow these steps to remove them:
1. Make a horizontal cut into the buttress root (Fig. 10).
To prevent the guide bar from being pinched by the
weight of the wood, always make this cut first.
2. Make a vertical cut into the buttress root (Fig. 10).
3. Remove the loose section from the work area.
Step 2: Making the Notched Undercut
Never walk in front of a tree with a notched
undercut.
WARNING
90°
Fig. 10
Planned
Line of Fall
135º From Planned
Line of Fall
Path of Safe
Retreat
Fig. 11
First Cut
Second Cut
Fig. 12
Notched
Undercut
First Cut
Second Cut
1/3 Diameter
135º From Planned
Line of Fall
Direction of Fall
Buttress Root
This cut determines which direction the tree will fall.
Always make this cut on the side of the tree facing the
direction where the tree should fall. Make the cut at 90º
to the line of fall.
1. Make a horizontal cut into the trunk of the tree
(Fig. 11). The cut should be about 1/3 the diameter
of the tree and close to the ground. To prevent the
guide bar from being pinched by the weight of the
wood, always make this cut first.
2. Make a 45º cut into the trunk of the tree, above
the first cut (Fig.11). Continue cutting until the
two cuts meet.
3. Remove the loose section from the work area.
Fig. 10
