Tree Surveys & Inspections
Always starting with a survey, a condition or health and safety assessment is what you need if you are either concerned about or interested in the health of your trees.
The survey assesses the general condition and looks for any signs of stress, defects, pests, diseases or decay, such as possible weak branch junctions or fungi (and not all fungi is bad). This gives an indication as to whether a more thorough inspection is necessary. All observations and recommendations on management actions (if any) will be written into a report and shared with you to help you understand potential risk.
All of our inspections are ground based and non-invasive.
Tree condition survey, or health and safety assessment
Your obligations as a tree owner
If you own or manage land that has trees on it, it is your legal responsibility to ensure the trees are in a safe condition so that any foreseeable damage does not occur to people or property (either present on your property or passing by) as a result of a tree failing. This responsibility is legislated under the Occupiers Liability Act 1957/1984.
There is further legislation under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which applies to commercial premises and the obligations for safety apply to employees, visitors and passers by. All businesses with a property that contains a tree should have surveys undertaken to ensure the tree(s) are not likely to cause any foreseeable damage.
Not taking your legal duties responsibly can leave you liable for negligence and prosecution.
Tree Surveys & Inspections with Generation Arboriculture
There are different types of surveys available: full or prioritised. Both offer the same level of survey and inspection.
Full
Recommended if you have never had a survey undertaken before. This survey records and provides high-level reports on all trees present on the site. The report will record all those without any observable issues and include the details of trees that do have any observations and the recommended management works in priority order.
Prioritised
The prioritised report only records and reports on the trees that have any observations and require mitigation/management works or further observation. (All trees on the site will be looked at for each visit, just not recorded). This is most common to meet your legal obligations.
If you are unsure, we can help you make the right decision.
What do you get when you have a survey & inspection?
A full visual survey of all trees on your property over 7.5cm in diameter.
A detailed ground-based inspection of any trees that have any indications of poor health or a condition that needs further observation or could cause a risk.
A written report and risk assessment of identified trees with signs of poor health.
Written management recommendations and suggested reinspection frequency.
What might be recommended and what happens if they need work?
Sometimes nothing needs to be done, depending on the condition and other factors; some risks are considered acceptable.
Pruning work, such as crown reduction, thinning, lifting, pollarding, branch removal or deadwood removal, etc.
Felling. As difficult as it is to make this recommendation, sometimes it is needed for safety reasons.
If there are options, we will talk them through with you.