Accidental death verdict

[Bundle 2]

Anyone know anything more about this and wish to comment..?

 

Accidental death verdict for runner killed by falling branch | Arboriculture News | Horticulture Week

[skyhuck]

Common sense prevails!!, for once.

 

Very sad, but when compared to road deaths its about as likely as being struck by lightning.

[David Humphries]

Sad loss of young life.

 

Couple of things stand out for me;

 

"diseased tree" in an inquest, is a tad unprofessional if indeed that's how it was recorded.

 

& I am of the opinion that it is feasable to have trees viewed where public have access.

Not saying that this needs to be professional & indepth, just lay & regular.

 

 

Interesting post Tim.

 

 

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[skyhuck]

But David do you not find that often limbs are shed by healthy trees and the old knackerd ones hang on for ever??

 

I have watched some ddd trees for years and nothing happens.

 

I think is good if people are made aware that its very difficult, if not impossible to predict which trees may shed.

[David Humphries]

But David do you not find that often limbs are shed by healthy trees and the old knackerd ones hang on for ever??

 

I have watched some ddd trees for years and nothing happens.

 

I think is good if people are made aware that its very difficult, if not impossible to predict which trees may shed.

 

Agree on all your points Dave.

 

But still think it wise to install a survey schedule, even on private woods with public access.

 

You can't in many cases mitigate risk of the unknown occuring, but certainly heavily decayed branches & hung up ones above access, should be assessed under instruction of owner.

 

That could be the owner them selves or Arbs or consultants.

 

Once every 5 years as opposed to never, is responsible & reasonable.

 

 

 

 

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[arbclimber]

Agree on all your points Dave.

 

But still think it wise to install a survey schedule, even on private woods with public access.

 

You can't in many cases mitigate risk of the unknown occuring, but certainly heavily decayed branches & hung up ones above access, should be assessed under instruction of owner.

 

That could be the owner them selves or Arbs or consultants.

 

Once every 5 years as opposed to never, is responsible & reasonable.

 

 

 

 

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I agree, one of the woods where we walk the dogs has got many old and decaying silver birches, many of which have failed half way up the main stem. This has, in many cases, left large severed tops hung up in the canopies of other trees.

 

I have told the Mrs not to walk under them.

 

It is obvious the landowner should do something about this, under a reasonable duty of care.

[Bundle 2]

Agree on all your points Dave.

 

But still think it wise to install a survey schedule, even on private woods with public access.

 

You can't in many cases mitigate risk of the unknown occuring, but certainly heavily decayed branches & hung up ones above access, should be assessed under instruction of owner.

 

That could be the owner them selves or Arbs or consultants.

 

Once every 5 years as opposed to never, is responsible & reasonable.

 

 

 

 

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Thanks guys...I mean, I tend to share your views and it was precisely because of the way the incident is reported that I wanted to get more info. I agree with both the points you make David and feel that this is the way HortWeek seems to insist on "paying lip service" to matters arboricultural. I would have to assume that the inquest was a little more intelligently and professionally conducted than the rather scant reporting implies...Ho hum. I never seem to learn where this publication is concerned. And it used to be a stalwart of the professional!

It is misleading turns of phrase though innit- making professional "Tree Blokes" look a tad dumb....Opps, off me soapbox!

[Trackers]

I haven't read the article in the original post but if it is the general consensus that trees should be surveyed then shouldn't the councils or highways do their stock? I reported a hanger about 3 - 4 years ago to the council, it is a big branch over a country road and one day it is going to come crashing down, it is vertical and the 'fork' of it is caught on a lower branch. The council really were not intersted and have done nothing about it, since moving I do not use this road so much but it is still there...

[jose]

i worked for a local chap in wokingham. There was a plot of land opposite him with mature oaks on it. The owner of this land had a survey done on the trees and the report came back that one had rot in the base and should be felled, council said no and put a TPO on it.

Shortly afterwards( a few months i belive) the tree fell over, writing on his 4 day old car and causing about 30K of damage in total as it also hit his house.

 

Council turned around and said it was not there problem and he would have to claim off his home insurance.

 

so i cant see them bothering to even walk around there own trees and taking responsibility for there upkeep.

[Asplen]

I haven't read the article in the original post but if it is the general consensus that trees should be surveyed then shouldn't the councils or highways do their stock? I reported a hanger about 3 - 4 years ago to the council, it is a big branch over a country road and one day it is going to come crashing down, it is vertical and the 'fork' of it is caught on a lower branch. The council really were not intersted and have done nothing about it, since moving I do not use this road so much but it is still there...

 

Since the Birmingham Ash incident all LA have to move to a proactive, defend-able tree management system.

 

The operative word being defend-able, some fairly shite systems are defend-able.