Tree care business owners have a lot to consider when it comes to adding a piece of equipment that can weigh upwards of 100,000 pounds and cost upwards of $1 million.
Safety Within Reach Cranes have evolved into sophisticated machines that make tree care work safer and faster. Is it time to add one to your fleet?
By Jason Collins
Everyone knows how dangerous tree care work can be, especially in difficult or hard-to-reach places. It’s why more and more businesses are moving away from chainsaws and ladders and rely- ing on cranes to do the heavy liing in tree care work. Evolving technologies have made cranes more stable and increased their grappling capabilities. Business own- ers rely on cranes to provide job safety, efficiency, and lower costs. So, it’s no wonder that crane sales are expected to rise from $15 billion in 2020 to up- wards of $25 billion in 2030 according to Statista, a global data tracker. “We’re now seeing cranes that are outfitted with claws and saws that are capable of taking a tree down piece by piece, without putting a climber in the tree,” says Jay Sturm, founder and president of Cranes 101, which pro- vides safety training. Sturm has seen
firsthand how crane technologies have evolved to “make the business safer and the tasks safer.” Tree care business owners have a lot to consider when it comes to adding a piece of equipment that can weigh upwards of 100,000 pounds and cost upwards of $1 million. How do they know when they’re ready to take the plunge? PROVIDING SAFE ACCESS Caring for or removing a tree can be in- credibly unpredictable and dangerous work. It’s hard to know when disease, pest infestation, or storm damage have made a tree structurally unsound. As a result, traditional climbing can expose tree care workers to a greater risk of injury from broken branches and falls, all while managing multiple ropes and sharp, heavy equipment.
Cranes protect tree care professionals
Using a crane removes the need for tree felling, as the crane can more precisely lift entire tree sections out of the area.
ArborTIMES Fall 2023 | 7
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