Gaining control of a job site can be done in many different ways. Assessing the environment around you, identifying unmovable targets, creating border barriers, delineating job tasks to team members, identifying clear goals and maintaining communication when it is critical will have a vital impact on mastering each environment the arborist finds themselves in.

Know thy drop zone (work zone), and cone it off. Tape it off. Wall it off if you must. It’s important that when debris and wood is coming out of the tree, either free falling or on a rig, that everyone is clear. Utilize high visibility markers to denote where the drop zone is, and keep pedestrians and other workers clear of it. If workers have a bluetooth communication connection established from the start of a job, communication could be more effective in a loud environment. Control and patrol the zone.

Mark underground utilities, and cover up anything above ground too like landscape lights or small water features that are hard wired in. A climber may lose sight of a target from high up in the crown of a tree, so compensate for mistakes before they happen. Plywood and tires are two barrier materials that can be used to protect property from heavy wood and branch butts. Even pieces of wood that have already been lowered out can create good divot protection on the ground for the surround turf and ornamental landscape.

Traffic, whether it is vehicular or pedestrian traffic, must be directed as far away from the work zone as possible. This will be critical for all human safety in a work environment. Controlling traffic could be thought of much like snake charming, where fierce tradecraft rules supreme, and anything but mastery could be deadly. Know the law when controlling traffic, and respect the safety of everyone you may potentially affect while working.

Understand patterns such as how the homeowner’s day is scheduled. What time do they take the kids to school? What time do they come home from lunch? Do they have a preferable time they’d like you to do the job? Sometimes, knowing how to work around homeowners or an operational commercial site for that matter, can add to the overall safety of a site, and a feeling of convienienance on the tree owner’s end in doing business with you. Ask questions about their day so that you can undertsytand how your job site may change throughout the day. Gathering data in this manner will give you a more well rounded understanding of how the site will change throughout the day.

Site control is a matter of specific environment observation and research, just as much as it is a matter of teamwork and adaptable action.