Safety
Tree Safety for Central Arkansas Property Owners
Tree work carries real risk — both to the crew doing it and to the people and property around it — and we treat that risk as something to plan around rather than something to accept as normal. Every job we take follows two industry standards: ANSI A300, the national standard for how tree care work is actually performed, and ANSI Z133, the safety requirements for arboricultural operations. Every crew member is trained to those standards, to the level Chad Bryant holds as a Board Certified Master Arborist, before ever climbing a tree or running a chainsaw on a client’s property. Call (501) 606-1309 if you have a safety concern about a tree on your Central Arkansas property.
Recognizing a Hazardous Tree Before It Fails
A leaning tree, especially one that’s started leaning more noticeably over the past year, is one of the clearer warning signs a property owner can spot without training. So is a crack running along the trunk, a cavity where bark has fallen away to reveal decay, or a section of canopy that’s died back while the rest of the tree stays green.
Root problems are harder to catch from the ground but just as serious. Soil heaving near the base of a tree, exposed or severed roots from nearby digging, and mushrooms growing at the base are all signs that a tree’s root system may no longer be providing the support it once did, even if the canopy still looks healthy.
Large dead limbs — sometimes called widowmakers for a reason — are a hazard that doesn’t wait for a storm to become dangerous. A limb held up only by a few fibers of live wood can fail on a calm day with no warning at all, which is why dead limbs over a driveway, deck, or play area deserve prompt attention rather than a wait-and-see approach.
How Treegorilla's Crews Work Safely on Every Job
Every member of our crew is trained in proper climbing technique, rigging, and rope work before working unsupervised on a client’s property, following the safety requirements set out in ANSI Z133. Spikes are reserved strictly for removals, since spiked boots used during a pruning job can gouge bark and create wounds that invite decay into a tree that’s meant to keep growing — the kind of practice covered under the ANSI A300 tree care standards we work to.
Rigging plays a central role in controlling how a tree comes down or how a heavy limb gets lowered. Ropes and pulley systems let a climber lower sections of trunk or limb gradually to the ground instead of letting gravity decide where they land, which matters most on properties where a tree sits close to a home, a fence, or a neighboring yard.
Every job also gets a safety assessment before any cutting begins, evaluating wind conditions, the tree’s lean, nearby structures, and escape routes for the crew if something doesn’t go as planned — the kind of pre-work planning ANSI Z133 calls for. That assessment happens whether the job is a routine pruning visit or an emergency removal after a storm.
Staying Safe Around Trees and Power Lines
Trees growing near overhead power lines carry a specific set of risks beyond the tree itself. A limb that contacts a live line can become energized, and a crew or property owner unaware of that risk can be seriously injured without ever touching the tree directly.
We identify power line proximity as part of every consultation near utility infrastructure and hold to the minimum approach distances ANSI Z133 sets for work near energized conductors, coordinating with the utility provider when a job requires it. Property owners should never attempt to prune or remove a tree themselves if it has any branches near power lines, regardless of how minor the trim might seem.
Even trees that look completely clear of lines from the ground can have branches that reach closer than they appear once a climber gets into the canopy, which is another reason this kind of assessment belongs to a trained professional rather than a homeowner with a ladder.
What to Do Around a Tree Crew Working on Your Property
When our crew is on site, the safest place for property owners, children, and pets is well clear of the work zone — ideally inside the home or on the opposite side of the property from where the crew is working. Falling debris, wood chips from a chipper, and equipment noise all pose risks that are easy to avoid simply by keeping distance during active work.
Vehicles should also be moved clear of the drop zone before work begins whenever possible, since even a carefully planned removal can shift unexpectedly once a cut is made. We’ll flag any specific precautions needed for a given property during the initial consultation.
Pets in particular can be unpredictable around unfamiliar noise and equipment, and keeping them indoors during active tree work protects both the animal and the crew from an unplanned interruption in the middle of a cut.
Storm Safety and Downed Tree Precautions
After a storm, downed trees and limbs should be treated as hazards until a professional has assessed them, even ones that look like they’ve stopped moving. A tree caught on another tree or leaning against a structure can still be under significant tension and shift suddenly when disturbed.
Downed power lines near fallen trees are an especially serious risk. Stay well clear of any line that’s down, whether or not it appears to be sparking, and treat every downed line as though it’s live until a utility crew confirms otherwise.
Children and pets should be kept away from any storm-damaged area entirely until a professional has cleared it, since the instability of a partially fallen tree isn’t always obvious from a distance.
Contact Us Today
Schedule a Safety Assessment Today
If you’re concerned about a tree on your Central Arkansas property — whether it’s a lean that’s gotten worse, a dead limb over a structure, or storm damage that needs a professional look — call (501) 606-1309 or email info@treegorilla.com. We’ll assess the situation directly and recommend next steps based on the actual risk involved, not a guess made from a description alone.
Safety concerns get the same priority as emergency storm calls, since a hazardous tree doesn’t become less dangerous just because the weather has cleared.
Trust the assessment of a Board Certified Master Arborist, backed by the ANSI A300 and Z133 standards, over a guess made from the ground — especially when the tree in question is close to a home, a driveway, or anywhere people regularly spend time.