Chapter 3: Safety First
Although the word “pruning” does not conjure thoughts of a dangerous activity, pruning requires protection of the eyes, hands, legs, and feet because injuries can and do occur. For example, pruning tools, hedgers, and reciprocating saws can cut off fingers; falling tree limbs can cause head injuries; loud machinery can result in hearing loss; and flying debris and pieces of wood can cause eye injuries.
You should follow some basic safety rules when pruning. First and foremost, give your pruning job your undivided attention. Second, wear the proper protective gear, including safety goggles, gardening or pruning gloves, a hard hat, earplugs, and closed-toed shoes. Also, you should use the correct tools for the job, which depend on the pruning job and what it requires, and make sure that you use sharp tools. Finally, contact a professional if your pruning job involves trees near power lines, heavy limbs, or heights not safely reached by a ladder.
Eye and Ear Protection
The most common injury that results from pruning is eye injury so you should always wear eye protection, such as shatter-resistant safety glasses or goggles. A good rule of thumb is that if the growth to be removed is larger than what you can pinch off with a thumb and forefinger, then safety glasses are in order. A severe eye injury can occur quickly, especially if you feel fatigued, work in a hurry, or work in dim light. One misstep can send the end of a sharp-angled branch or a piece of flying wood deep into your eye tissue. After every major cut, you should step back and look at the tree or bush before making the next cut. This will allow you to reorient yourself to the size of the job, reconsider what limbs need pruning, and mentally note the location of the protruding limbs that can cause injury. Ear protection, such as earplugs, is also essential if working around chain saws. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that without proper hearing protection, running a chain saw for only two minutes can endanger your hearing. In addition, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission stated that 36,000 people receive treatment in emergency rooms each year from chain saw accidents.
This man is wearing proper ear protection but needs protective goggles and gloves.
Hand Protection
Wearing a snug-fitting pair of leather work gloves is important to prevent injury to your hands from rough bark, thorns, and sharp blades. While you can purchase canvas gardening gloves, leather gloves can prevent sharp branches, thorns, and blades from penetrating through the glove. Find a nice pair of leather work gloves that feel comfortable and fit your hands properly. When working up close with multiple limbs and sharp blades, you can snip off a finger in an instant, even with the smaller pruning tool. A good pair of leather gloves can become a second skin, allowing you to feel the blade if it touches one hand before applying pressure to the cutting mechanism with the other. Avoid the type of clunky, leather work gloves that are too large and loose. You should reserve those kinds of gloves for working with shovels and rakes, not for pruning. They get in the way while you use most pruning tools and can lead to serious injury while working a chain saw because it is difficult to operate the small stop button or on-off switch, which is normally located in a tight place on the chain saw, when you have a bulky piece of leather in front of your finger. Although good leather gloves on average may cost more, they eventually shrink to custom fit your hand, and they can last for years. If you work outside often, buy two pairs and alternate between them to allow each pair to dry between uses. If you store your gloves in a barn or shed, always shake them out before you put them on. Scorpions and brown recluse spiders love to hide in dark, damp places.
You should invest in a good pair of leather gloves to reduce the risk of injury.
Foot and Leg Protection
Most tools with blades attached will land with the sharp end pointing down because the sharp end tends to be heavier. One exception to this rule is a chain saw, which has the heavy engine housing on the other end that can smash your feet instead. This is why it is dangerous to work with pruning tools when you wear light shoes, such gardening clogs or tennis shoes. Leather boots that have ankle support are the best shoe choice when pruning because a dropped tool cannot pierce them, and they can also prevent a twisted ankle if you walk or work on uneven ground. If you work in rural areas where snakes live, leather boots can afford you some protection in case you step on one while you are concentrating on the task at hand. Another reason for heavy boots is that long thorns easily puncture the soles of light shoes, as anyone who has ever stepped on a branch from a lemon or wild apple tree can tell you. For heavier jobs, such as working with heavy branches or larger trees, and when working in heavy brush, wearing a pair of leather chaps or leggings is also appropriate. Made of leather or thick cotton, they provide protection from an accident if you use a chain saw or a large blade, such as a machete or shearing knife, which people use to trim evergreens. A nifty trick used by professionals who use a shearing knife is to hold something in your empty hand, such as a rock, so you never are handling a branch with that hand when you bring the blade down to cut a branch, thus preventing the possibility of cutting off one of your own limbs.
Working Around Electricity
Never take for granted that a utility line is not working or is far enough away from a nearby limb to prevent electrocution. When a tree touches a utility line, the electricity can be redirected into the tissue of the tree. This means that electrocution can occur if anyone or anything touches the tree or stands on the ground within several feet of the tree. If you are pruning a tree and a limb or a pruning tool touches a power line, you could sustain injuries or die. Trees growing close to a power line create an unusual situation because electricity from the power line can arc or jump from the power line to a nearby tree. If a tree is located near a power line, it is always best to consult or hire a professional to remove that limb.
You do not just need to worry about electricity from power lines when pruning. There are different pruning tools available on the market powered by electricity. While these tools are not as noisy or as high maintenance as gas-powered tools, they are not less dangerous. While the blades alone can cause severe injury, keep in mind that you are also working around electricity. Although the cord attached to an electric hedge trimmer is normally ridiculously short, you inevitably attach that short cord to a 100-foot extension cord. That much cord around you while you work can create a tripping hazard. While difficult when you are trying to work, you must avoid cutting into the line with the trimmer. If you do, dispose of the extension cord and buy another. Never attempt to patch the cord: The tape will eventually pull off or wear away, leaving an exposed area that can electrocute someone if they step on it. Also, damp ground around the bare area of the cord can become energized and cause electrocution. You can purchase a new, outdoor extension cord at the discount store for fewer than $10 so it is better to buy a new one for your safety rather than risk patching one with tape. If the electric hedge trimmer or chain saw clogs or needs maintenance, unplug it before taking it apart or poking it with a metal tool. Never use an electric-powered trimmer or saw to cut overhead limbs because the cord can become tangled in the branches when they fall, causing you to lose control of the trimmer. Before starting any pruning job, you need to read and re-read all safety precautions that come with any power tool.
Securing the Area
Anytime you use power tools, you must secure the area by removing anything that obstructs your ability to move freely. If you will cut large limbs with a chain saw, you must clear the area around a tree where limbs may fall of pets, children, and vehicles. Be aware of other plants that might get damaged from falling limbs. For smaller jobs, clear the immediate area around the bushes or plants of items that are not permanent fixtures in that area. Removing the items gives you a sense of perspective while working and prevents you from making a cut that creates an uneven or out-of-balance appearance. If you prune around an item instead of moving that item, the bush will look uneven once you remove the item. Never operate power tools or handle items with sharp blades after drinking alcohol or taking drugs that impair your judgment. It only takes one second to make a bad decision that can affect you for a lifetime.