As well as the different saws and other equipment you may require while removing branches and stumps there is also a great amount of safety equipment that is to be used. To go with this equipment there are also many training courses such as first aid at height, work at height and rescue from height (stretcher lowering).

Here are some basic pieces of equipment you will need if working as a tree surgeon:

  • Hand saws are an essential piece of equipment to a tree surgeon, they are used to remove dead, diseased or infested tree branches. With pruning being one of the main jobs a tree surgeon may be hired for it is very important that they have the best equipment they can so they can carry out a high quality job for the customer and make their job easier by having better tools. There are many different types of saw depending on the thickness of the tree branch they have to saw.Tree surgeon with chain saw
  • Extendable saws are usually a curved blade with a long pole making it possible for the tree surgeon to cut the branch off from a lower branch or even the ground if the branch is in reach. These come in handy if the tree has only a couple of branches that need removing they take quite a bit of skill from the tree surgeon to work properly and accurately.
  • Chain saws are often used by tree surgeons to remove trees main stems and larger branches. When a person is going to use this tool it is important that they are qualified both in the use of the machine and also the safety aspects of dealing with them as many injuries each year are caused by chain saws.
  • When the tree surgeon has removed the branches they want to remove they will then shred them using a shredder or grinder to break them down into saw dust. They may require a strictly industrial grinder if the branches or stump prove too big for the normal shredders to handle.

Then there is all the safety equipment which needs to be used in line with the tools above some of this equipment is:

  • Most companies and self employed people provide staff with visors that have ear muffs built into them. This is because the sound created by the tools used is so loud it could damage the person's ears. The visor is used to protect the eyes from all the dust and debris coming from the chain saw or shredder.
  • Safety chaps are usually worn when working with chain saws and have a cut retardant material to stop the chain saw if it was to fall from the persons hands and hit the leg of the person using it.
  • Safety helmet is to be worn at all times when working from any height up a tree to protect the persons head from any falling branches or if they were to fall then they would have some kind of support on their head.
  • Harnesses are used for high tree climbing work to ensure if the person were to fall from a height they would have some support so not to fall to the ground. They work with an arrangement of safety lines and pulley's to provide the best security for the worker.

Most of these tools relies on another to do its job correctly so it's important to make sure you have all the appropriate parts and are using them in the right way especially with the high tree work equipment.