Steve Wood Of SMW (Tree) Consultancy Ltd
Steve Wood of SMW (Tree) Consultancy Ltd explains why it is so important for schools to have a tree survey carried out
A school is a place where parents expect their child to be safe, so every part of the school must be assessed for safety. From DBS checks for staff to fire safety, gas checks and legionella risk assessments, all of these tests are in place to keep children and staff safe, so why should a school’s outdoor spaces be any different?
If a school has trees on site then, it is their responsibility to make sure they are safe, as to comply with the legal aspects under the Occupiers Liability Act 1957 & 1984, Chapter 3. This ensures that anyone entering the school site does so under a safe condition. Often schools are aware of this …show more content…
Research to date supports that the risk of injury from trees in most instances are minimal and a recognised risk of everyday life, which most people will accept without a second thought. Therefore the management of trees should be dealt with on a rational and cost-effective basis. But there are other factors that should be considered, such as the overall landscape and aesthetics of the site, as well as the ecological value that trees possess. A landscape without trees would be depriving the whole school community of the enjoyment of trees and their wider …show more content…
One of the most significant benefits of having a management plan in place is that it allows for bursars to allocate budgets for future works on a predictable year by year basis from the previous years’ work.
The initial cost could be larger in the first year and the bursar will need to see what their budget will permit. Generally, if a school hasn’t had a management plan in place before, then it is a good idea to bring the site up to standard; this may be dictated by several factors such as: budget restrictions, volume of corrective remedial works and frequency of activity in an area. Ideally all work resulting from a tree survey should be carried out, thus ensuring the maximum safety levels possible. The most important factor is that the budget limitations should not compromise the site’s safety.
Tree inspections should not be complicated if prepared by an experienced qualified professional, preferably one who’s familiar with the particular needs of schools high safety perspectives. The presentation should be easily understood by a lay person and professional alike and, catalogue the trees health status and necessary corrective works to be completed within a given time scale and a recommendation when a re inspection is
A school is a place where parents expect their child to be safe, so every part of the school must be assessed for safety. From DBS checks for staff to fire safety, gas checks and legionella risk assessments, all of these tests are in place to keep children and staff safe, so why should a school’s outdoor spaces be any different?
If a school has trees on site then, it is their responsibility to make sure they are safe, as to comply with the legal aspects under the Occupiers Liability Act 1957 & 1984, Chapter 3. This ensures that anyone entering the school site does so under a safe condition. Often schools are aware of this …show more content…
Research to date supports that the risk of injury from trees in most instances are minimal and a recognised risk of everyday life, which most people will accept without a second thought. Therefore the management of trees should be dealt with on a rational and cost-effective basis. But there are other factors that should be considered, such as the overall landscape and aesthetics of the site, as well as the ecological value that trees possess. A landscape without trees would be depriving the whole school community of the enjoyment of trees and their wider …show more content…
One of the most significant benefits of having a management plan in place is that it allows for bursars to allocate budgets for future works on a predictable year by year basis from the previous years’ work.
The initial cost could be larger in the first year and the bursar will need to see what their budget will permit. Generally, if a school hasn’t had a management plan in place before, then it is a good idea to bring the site up to standard; this may be dictated by several factors such as: budget restrictions, volume of corrective remedial works and frequency of activity in an area. Ideally all work resulting from a tree survey should be carried out, thus ensuring the maximum safety levels possible. The most important factor is that the budget limitations should not compromise the site’s safety.
Tree inspections should not be complicated if prepared by an experienced qualified professional, preferably one who’s familiar with the particular needs of schools high safety perspectives. The presentation should be easily understood by a lay person and professional alike and, catalogue the trees health status and necessary corrective works to be completed within a given time scale and a recommendation when a re inspection is