Choosing a tree surgeon is no easy feat because they must have a wide range of training and lots of experience in order to do a good, safe and quality job and that is without even thinking about all the other elements you must consider such as safety, insurance and costings.
If you are looking at hiring a tree surgeon for your commercial needs, you need to ensure they not only know what they are doing but that they will do it safely. Tree surgery is an extremely dangerous skill and art which requires the use of machinery that has the capacity to injure or kill if it is not used correctly. The work often takes places above the ground and can take place in difficult weather conditions, adding even more danger to the project. So it really does go without saying that a real expert is what your company needs.
With this in mind, there are some main considerations you need to focus on when it comes to selecting the right tree surgeon for your commercial needs.
Qualifications And Knowledge
You should expect your tree surgeon to have professional qualifications and training relating to arboriculture which is the experience and knowledge required to correctly diagnose issues with a tree and to make safe and suitable recommendations for management. The qualifications a person can obtain vary from basic certificates, to degrees and diplomas. A person may also have particular expertise in one area of arboriculture.
Safety
A tree surgeon should have a certificate of competence so show they are trained and able to complete various jobs related to the job. Chainsaw use, tree climbing, risk assessments and manual handling are all certificates a tree surgeon can and should hold as in the UK training in certain areas of this particular job are mandatory. Safety should be of paramount concern to your company when you are selecting a tree surgeon.
Experience
Perhaps a tree surgeon you are considering is fully qualified, but how much experience do they have actually doing the job? Tree surgery is a skill and there really is nothing better than spending a long time on the job in order to get a true grip on how to do it well. A trainee tree surgeon should spend at least five years learning whilst being supervised and as part of a larger team before moving into any work along. You should also check the tree surgeon has experience in the areas you require. For example: small shrubs may have been their main area of focus during training and the jobs you need doing relate to mature trees.
Insurance
You should never, ever, ever use a tree surgeon who is uninsured. You should always ask to see their insurance which should cover public liability and employer’s liability as well as professional indemnity.
Recommendations
Regardless of the training and experience a tree surgeon has, recommendations do count, so if a colleague, friend or family member can recommend someone who has done a great job, you should place value on that recommendation. Tree surgeons know a lot of their work comes from an excellent reputation so they will work hard to maintain that.
Remember…
The more research you do, the more of an informed decision you can make. Getting tree surgery is never cheap, but it is a specialised industry, your priority needs to be making sure you are actually paying money to a specialised. Never take their word for anything and ask to see proof of all qualifications, certificates and insurance so you have a paper trail to prove you have done your checks if you get audited. Any reputable tree surgeon will be proud of their paperwork and want to show you all of their accreditations.
Thanks for reading!
At Evolution Trees, we offering a full range of tree work, fencing, landscaping and other commercial services.