Tree removal and site clearing JHA: hazards, controls and PPE.
Start from this template, add what's different on your site today, and have the crew sign.
| Hazards · Tree removal and site clearing |
|---|
| Falling trees and limbs |
| Chipper entanglement |
| Power lines |
| Poison ivy and other plants |
Controls
- Look up: dead limbs and power lines. Only line-clearance qualified crews work near lines.
- Keep others two tree lengths away while felling.
- Feed the chipper butt first. Stand to the side; never reach past the infeed.
- Equipment has rollover guards and canopy.
All 5 hazards and 5 controls → · 29 CFR 1926.604
Toolbox talk: Chainsaw kickback
A starting point, not a finished JHA. Walk the site and have the competent person sign it.
Hazards
- Falling trees and limbs
- Chipper entanglement
- Power lines
- Poison ivy and other plants
- Equipment rollover
Controls
- Look up: dead limbs and power lines. Only line-clearance qualified crews work near lines.
- Keep others two tree lengths away while felling.
- Feed the chipper butt first. Stand to the side; never reach past the infeed.
- Equipment has rollover guards and canopy.
- Long sleeves; know the irritant plants on site.
PPE
- Chainsaw chaps
- Hard hat
- Hearing protection
- Safety glasses
- Work gloves
- High-vis vest (Class 2; Class 3 at night)
OSHA rules
29 CFR 1926.604 · 29 CFR 1910.266 (good practice) · ANSI Z133 (good practice)
Toolbox talk: Chainsaw kickback
- Kickback starts at the top of the bar tip. Keep it out of the wood.
- Chain brake works and chain is sharp.
- Two hands, thumb wrapped around the handle.
- Chaps on. Cut below shoulder height.
The full talk, with questions for the crew →
A starting point, not a finished JHA. Walk the site, add what's different today, and have the competent person sign it.
Tomorrow, the crew signs it on one phone.
Dozer writes the JHA and the toolbox talk from what you say and what the cameras saw yesterday. The crew signs on the foreman's phone, and it files itself in the site's day.
- One JHA per task, per day, in under a minute
- The toolbox talk that matches the work
- Signatures on one phone, no clipboard
- Filed with the daily log, ready for an inspector
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Questions crews ask
What are the hazards of tree removal and site clearing?
Falling trees and limbs. Chipper entanglement. Power lines. Poison ivy and other plants. Equipment rollover.
What controls go in a tree removal and site clearing JHA?
Look up: dead limbs and power lines. Only line-clearance qualified crews work near lines. Keep others two tree lengths away while felling. Feed the chipper butt first. Stand to the side; never reach past the infeed. Equipment has rollover guards and canopy. Long sleeves; know the irritant plants on site.
What PPE is needed for tree removal and site clearing?
Chainsaw chaps, Hard hat, Hearing protection, Safety glasses, Work gloves, High-vis vest (Class 2; Class 3 at night). Add what your site and the task's SDS call for.
Which OSHA rules cover tree removal and site clearing?
29 CFR 1926.604; 29 CFR 1910.266 (good practice); ANSI Z133 (good practice).
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