London Plane's can be a pain.

[Sully]

We're approaching that time of year again when plane trees become a bit of a hazard to health with all the hairs and pollen on them. Is there "official" industry regulations or guidlines on working on them during this period, or is it one of them things we try and deal with. ie masks etc. I know street crews suffer alot in the cities and the guys in charge try to issue the work in the winter.

The whole issue is a bit grey. cheers

[Ollie Wall]

Bump* suffering badly with this today! Any thoughts??

[silky fox]

Worked on hundereds of them in central London over the last 5 years...up em and at the bottom of em (which is the worst place to be) have been offered masks...with the mask is so uncomfortable, hot and claustrophobic...without the mask is irritating....painful and sore on your eyes, skin and lungs and throat:mad:

[Gary Prentice]

I would imagine that this would be included in the risk assessment.

 

Guy Watson from the AA mentioned, yesterday, about a school which wanted a tree removed due to the toxicity of its sap. Rightly or wrongly, they failed to advise the contractor whose staff suffered burns. Three staff will have to wear long sleeves for maybe ten years, due to sensitivity to UV/sunlight. I think the HSE may now be involved.

[sloth]

I would imagine that this would be included in the risk assessment.

 

Guy Watson from the AA mentioned, yesterday, about a school which wanted a tree removed due to the toxicity of its sap. Rightly or wrongly, they failed to advise the contractor whose staff suffered burns. Three staff will have to wear long sleeves for maybe ten years, due to sensitivity to UV/sunlight. I think the HSE may now be involved.

 

sounds nasty, any idea of species? was it the Chinese lacquer (spelling?) tree, Rhus something or other?

[Gary Prentice]

sounds nasty, any idea of species? was it the Chinese lacquer (spelling?) tree, Rhus something or other?

 

Yep, rhus something or other.....

Think it was Rhus toxi(something) - just been renamed apparently.

[TGB]

This is what 'Wiki' has on Toxicodendron Vernicifluum, ( formally Rhus Verniciflua)

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_laquer_tree

 

Sounds like a bad tree to be around, even vapours from the sap can be harmful.

[nathan marshall]

if im working on them in it or on the ground ski goggles are good they help with non sticky eyes the next day its gonna get hot no matter what i get a nice cough from it but i cant get on with masks. we dont do too many but leave it to winter if we can.

[Ollie Wall]

if im working on them in it or on the ground ski goggles are good they help with non sticky eyes the next day its gonna get hot no matter what i get a nice cough from it but i cant get on with masks. we dont do too many but leave it to winter if we can.

 

Yeah im the same cant stand the masks, we allways seem to get issued whole roads of them just as the leaves come out... But thats local authority for you aha

[Mr. Squirrel]

I've worked pretty much exclusively in plane trees the past 3 weeks, glasses definitely help alot. As for your breathing areas, cough it all up seems the best way for me? Horrible, but better than a mask. I swear their worse than usual this year.

Just wait until the oak procession moths take off in Britain, that's a really tricky one. Wear a protective oversuit in case they're there, or risk not sleeping for the next few nights? Hmmm...