Felling rules in New Zealand: what the arboriculture code says

This page reports what the named codes, regulators and makers say. It is not training and does not teach the work. This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. It reports the approved code of practice on safety and health in arboriculture, section 3.4 on tree felling, as published by WorkSafe New Zealand and read on October 9, 2026. The courses that teach felling are in the guides on chainsaw tickets and certifications by country. The other countries are on the page on felling rules by country. Some wording is adapted from the WorkSafe New Zealand code, which WorkSafe's copyright page allows to be reproduced accurately with the source and copyright status acknowledged. The source is WorkSafe New Zealand and the material is Crown copyright, owned by WorkSafe New Zealand.

Status of the code

The code page on the WorkSafe New Zealand site, the approved code of practice page describes it as an approved code of practice made under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, and says it has not been updated for the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and its regulations. It says the code may still contain relevant information and practices, and that the guidance will be progressively reviewed and either updated, replaced or revoked. The page says to read it together with the industry standards that apply to a business. WorkSafe's tree work topic page lists further guidance on tree felling, among it operational guidance on one-onto-two tree driving written for WorkSafe forestry inspectors, an information sheet for farmers on harvesting a woodlot, and good practice guidelines on managing a small forest harvest.

Planning before a felling

Section 3.4.1 says that before any tree removal the chainsaw operator or crew leader considers the surrounding area including other trees, the species, shape and condition of the tree, its lean, broken branches and deadwood that may dislodge, wind force and direction and other climate factors, decayed or weak spots including in the hinge area, the people, property and utilities to protect, and the size and terrain of the work area. It says every felling is done by a competent person fully experienced in the work, that the person in charge supervises it, and that special care is taken when felling dead trees because parts may fall into the work area. It says people not directly helping stay at least two tree-lengths from the tree being felled, and that wedges and driving tools are readily available during all felling.

The code says an escape route is planned and kept clear of tools and material that would slow a quick exit, and names 45 degrees on either side of a line drawn opposite the intended direction of fall as the line the route follows. It says a pulling line is attached to all trees and stems felled where assisted directional felling is required, and that particular care is needed when felling uphill or on steep slopes because trees may roll or slide back towards the operator.

Cuts and signals

Section 3.4.3 says scarf cuts are used on all trees and trunks over 125 mm in diameter at breast height, that the two cuts forming the scarf do not cross where they meet, and that scarf and back cuts are made at a height that lets the operator begin the cut, control the tree and move away.
It says the scarf is a conventional, open-face or Humboldt cut, 45 degrees or greater and large enough to guide the fall and prevent splitting, with a depth that does not exceed one-third of the diameter, and that the back cut does not penetrate the predetermined hinge area.
Section 3.4.2 says that when felling of a tree is started, the scarf and back-cut are completed before the next tree is started.
The code describes signals such as "stand clear" from the operator and "all clear" in reply, or pre-arranged hand signals, given only by designated persons, with visual contact kept on the tree until it is on the ground.

Hung-up and cut-up trees

Section 3.4.2 says a hung-up or cut-up tree is brought to the ground as soon as possible and before operations continue. It says the tree is not left standing and the feller does not leave the area before the tree is down, other than to seek help, and that the person in charge is told and more planning is done. No person moves within two tree-lengths of the intended direction of fall of such a tree, and no machine works within two tree-lengths of a felling, or forward of a hung-up or cut-up tree, except to help bring it down under supervision. The glossary guide on rigging and felling words defines the terms.

Back-pulling, winches and windthrow

Section 3.4.5 on felling against the lean says the people doing it are competent or training under supervision, that the faller and the machine operator have an effective means of communication, and that the rope is secured as high as practicable having regard to tree size, lean and height and the pulling capacity of the machine.
Section 3.4.6 says no person stays in the bight of a working rope and knots are prohibited in wire rope. It says line pull does not exceed the safe working load of the rope or its accessories, that for all arboricultural operations the safe working load is one-sixth of the breaking strength, and that strops anchoring winches or pulling blocks are at least 1.5 times the safe working load of the pulling rope. It says the tree feller tells the winch operators before felling what line tension and speeds are needed, and that signals are decided before felling starts.
Section 3.4.7 says windthrown trees add hazards that need more than one person on site at all times, and that where a tree rests on its upturned roots the cut is made so neither the feller nor others are in danger from movement of the root mat or the log.

The general part of the code says that where an operation becomes dangerous because of high winds, wet weather, poor visibility or other adverse conditions, the employer or person in charge suspends operations while the conditions last.