SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
Tree felling techniqueAnother very important factor, which does not affect the felling
direction but does affect your safety, is to make sure the tree
has no damaged or dead branches that might break off and
WARNING! It takes a lot of experience to fell hit you during felling.
a tree. Inexperienced users of chain saws
!
should not fell trees. Do not attempt any task
that you feel unsure of!WARNING! During critical felling operations,
hearing protectors should be lifted
!immediately when sawing is completed so
Safe distancethat sounds and warning signals can be
heard.
The safe distance between a tree that is to be felled and
anyone else working nearby is at least 2 1/2 tree lengths.
Make sure that no-one else is in this ?risk zone? before or Clearing the trunk and preparing your retreat
during felling.
Remove any branches that are in the way. To do this it is best
to work from the top down and keep the trunk between you
and the chain saw. Never limb above shoulder height.
Felling direction
The aim is to fell the tree in a position where you can limb and
cross-cut the log as easily as possible. You want it to fall in a
location where you can stand and move about safely. The Remove any undergrowth from the base of the tree and check
main point to avoid is letting the tree fall onto another tree. the area for obstacles (stones, branches, holes, etc.) so that
See instructions under the heading Freeing a tree that has you have a clear path of retreat when the tree starts to fall.
fallen badly.Your path of retreat should be roughly 135 degrees away from
the intended felling direction.
Once you have decided which way you want the tree to fall
you must judge which way the tree would fall naturally.
Felling
Several factors affect this:
Felling is done using three cuts. First you make the directional
? Lean of the tree
cuts, which consist of the top cut and the bottom cut, then you
? BendŢnish with the felling cut. By placing these cuts correctly you
can control the felling direction very accurately.
? Wind direction
Directional cuts
? Arrangement of branches
To make the directional cuts you begin with the top cut. Stand
? Weight of snow
to the right of the tree and cut on the pull stroke.
Next make the bottom cut so that it Ţnishes exactly at the end
of the top cut.
You may Ţnd you are forced to let the tree fall in its natural
direction because it is impossible or dangerous to try to make
it fall in the direction you Ţrst intended.
English - 21 |
ACEC
