Hung and lodged trees: what the regulators say

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 sets out how six sources describe a hung-up or lodged tree, a tree that leans on another tree or object and stops short of the ground. All pages were read on October 9, 2026. The courses that teach the work are in the guides on chainsaw tickets and certifications by country, and the UK award for this kind of job is on the page for assisted felling. The felling rules of each place are on the page about felling rules by country. Wording from HSE is adapted from pages licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, wording from the SafeWork NSW code under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence with sentences shortened and reworded, and wording from the WorkSafe New Zealand code with the source and copyright status acknowledged.

United States

OSHA's logging standard, 29 CFR 1910.266, defines a lodged tree, also called a hung tree, as a tree leaning against another tree or object which prevents it falling to the ground. Paragraph (h)(1)(vi) puts lodged trees and snags inside the term danger tree. It says each danger tree is felled, removed or avoided, using mechanical or other techniques that minimize employee exposure, before work starts in the area. If the tree is not felled or removed, the paragraph says it is marked and no work is done within two tree lengths of it unless the employer shows a shorter distance creates no hazard. The wording is on the OSHA 1910.266 page. OSHA's tree care hazards page, hazards and solutions lists fatality investigation reports for the tree care industry.

Great Britain

HSE's page on machine-assisted takedown says many incidents have occurred where operators use machines to help take down large edge trees and hung-up or leaning trees, and that all operators receive training in how to operate the machine, how to do the tasks required, use of PPE and keeping the machine in good order. HSE's page on winches in directional felling covers tractor winches and hand winches used as an aid to directional felling and assisted takedown. It says a clear and comprehensive communication system is agreed before work starts, with the chainsaw operator in control and giving instructions to the machine operator. An emergency stop signal is obeyed at once by everyone, and any unclear signal is regarded as a stop signal. Where the chainsaw operator cannot see the machine operator, a radio or a third person relays the message. The page says it does not apply to timber extraction or towing.

Ireland

The Irish Forestry Safety Guide leaflet 302 on basic chainsaw felling and manual takedown, published by the Health and Safety Authority in October 2018 and carried inside the HSA's guidance on safe use of chainsaws, has a section headed takedown of a hung-up tree. It says the situation is risk assessed as soon as the tree becomes lodged, to decide whether it can be dealt with at once, safely and effectively, with the equipment available. If not, the leaflet says the danger area is taped off and others on site and the forest work manager are told. It says no other person is within twice the length of the tree, or directly below it on steep slopes. It lists five things not done with a hung-up tree: felling the supporting tree to free it, climbing it, felling another tree across it to dislodge it, walking or working under it, and cutting pieces off its butt end to dislodge it. The HSA's forestry code of practice lists hung-up trees among the specific dangers site safety rules cover and says a contractor engaging chainsaw operators checks that they have knowledge of safe work practice for taking down hung-up trees.

New Zealand

Section 3.4.2 of the WorkSafe New Zealand arboriculture code 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 before it is down, other than to get help, and that the person in charge is told and extra planning done. It says 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 adequate supervision.

New South Wales

The SafeWork NSW Tree works code of practice names hung trees in three places. Its table of assessment factors lists branches of adjacent trees as a cause of trimmed branches becoming lodged or hung up, which creates additional removal risks, and lists dead branches hung in the tree under the health of the tree. Its description of controlled directional felling says that method is used where the natural fall direction would create hazards such as contact with overhead lines, structures or hung trees. In the chapter on lowering it says partly cut or hanging trees or branches are not left unsecured or unsupported.

British Columbia

Section 26.25 of the WorkSafeBC OHS Regulation says that when a partly cut tree cannot be completely felled and has to be bypassed or left, it is clearly marked, work other than what is needed to fell it stops in the hazard area, any worker who could enter the area is alerted and the supervisor is notified. The supervisor then makes sure all workers at risk are told and the tree is safely felled before other work is done in the hazard area. Section 26.26 on falling dangerous trees says wedging over is used only if there is no alternative and after a careful assessment of the tree.

Where the sources differ

Source	Defines the term	Distance and marking
OSHA 1910.266	Lodged tree (hung tree)	Distance: Two tree lengths. Marking: Marked if not felled or removed.
HSE pages	Hung-up or leaning trees named, not defined	Distance: Not published on the pages read. Marking: Not published on the pages read.
HSA leaflet 302	Lodged tree	Distance: Twice the length of the tree. Marking: Danger area taped off.
WorkSafe NZ code	Hung-up or cut-up tree	Distance: Two tree-lengths. Marking: Not published in the section read.
SafeWork NSW code	Hung up (branches), hung trees (fall hazard)	Distance: Not published for hung trees. Marking: Not published for hung trees.
WorkSafeBC Part 26	Partly cut tree	Distance: Hazard area, no figure for the tree. Marking: Clearly marked.