Storm work: the hazards official guides warn about

This page describes what agencies and regulators say and where to read it. It does not tell anyone how to cut, climb, rig or drive, and it is not legal advice. Guidance is reissued after big storms. Where no official storm page is linked for a country, its section says so.

United States

OSHA hurricane pages

On the OSHA site, the hurricane response and recovery page describes its Hurricane eMatrix as an outline of the activities most commonly done in response and recovery work, with detailed information on the hazards of each. The matrix has an activity sheet on tree trimming. Its description says the hazards apply to response and recovery workers who are experienced with chain saws and who trim and remove trees with power tools and heavy equipment. It says the work may be done by federal, state, local and private employers.

The sheet's list of hazards for tree trimming includes these headings:

falls from heights;
aerial lifts and other heavy equipment;
work zone safety;
contact with downed lines and live electrical equipment and other utilities;
chain saws, wood chippers and power and hand tools;
impact from tree debris and felled trees;
noise, ladders and poisonous plants.

The sheet also reports what OSHA saw at work sites. It says protective equipment problems were found at over half the sites observed, and that where aerial lifts were used, fall protection was not used or not used correctly at 75 percent of the sites observed. It says workers using chain saws, chippers and heavy equipment are among the groups most likely to be exposed to hazardous noise, with samples above OSHA's permissible exposure limit. For training it points to 29 CFR 1910.266(i), the logging standard, as a reference for tree trimming operations.

On the OSHA site, the general recommendations page for the matrix says downed electrical conductors can energize other objects, including fences, water pipes, bushes, trees and telephone and cable lines. It says to keep at least 10 feet from overhead power lines unless they are deenergized and visibly grounded, or to use insulating barriers. It also lists leg protection, including chaps when using chain saws and snake boots where snakes live, and says hearing protection must be worn when noise levels exceed 90 dBA.

OSHA's tree care enforcement memo

On June 24, 2021 OSHA cancelled its 2008 tree care citation directive and issued new inspection guidance for tree care and tree removal. It says fall and struck-by hazards are leading causes of death and serious injury for tree care workers. It says a worker can be electrocuted if the worker, their tools or their equipment such as aerial lifts touch an overhead or underground line, or when a limb touches an energized line. It names 1910.269 for line-clearance tree trimming and says that standard has first aid and medical requirements. It says many tree care hazards fall under the general industry standards in 29 CFR 1910, with the General Duty Clause used where no specific standard fits.

Canada

Provincial and territorial regulators set the rules, and the places to look are the ones named in the guide on safety rules for tree work country by country.

United Kingdom

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) runs a tree work hub. The Institute of Chartered Foresters, a member of HSE's Arboriculture and Forestry Advisory Group (AFAG), published a note on emergency tree work on February 22, 2022, after Storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin. It says this kind of work can be extremely dangerous and should only be carried out by experienced professionals. It says HSE issued a notice that the planning and the work must be done by people trained in emergency tree work such as assisted felling, windblown and part blown trees and emergency planning. It quotes HSE's arboriculture lead as saying fallen trees can be unstable and heavy, and that inadvertent movement during clearance has had fatal results. The same quote says mechanised removal methods such as grapple saws and tree shears are preferred, given the risks of chainsaws.

HSE's page on working near power lines says to seek advice from the line owner, usually the network operator, before work within 10 metres of overhead lines, measured at ground level from below the nearest wire. It also covers work beyond 10 metres that could breach the distance, for example from falling trees or from a platform or crane that collapses. It says the first choice is to work with the power off. Any live work must be justified and documented.

Scottish Forestry, a Scottish Government agency, has a page on managing storm damaged trees, published February 22, 2025. It says windthrown trees under tension and compression behave very differently from standing trees when cut, and that the forces can be violent and rapid. It says chainsaw work among windblown trees needs a very high level of technical competency and that mechanised harvesting is much safer. It also says that in Scotland you must obtain a felling permission to remove windblown trees unless an exemption applies, for example where trees are dangerous or a risk to infrastructure. The page names other approvals that may be needed, including from local authorities where trees have preservation orders.

Australia

SafeWork NSW's tree work page says tree work involves major risks, including falls from heights, falling objects, work near power lines, musculoskeletal disorders, noise, working with equipment and sun exposure. It links the Tree works code of practice, the Code of practice for work near overhead power lines and Safe Work Australia's guide to tree trimming and removal.

New Zealand

On July 21, 2026 WorkSafe New Zealand issued a release on storm-damaged trees. It is addressed to farmers. It says WorkSafe had received more reports of unsafe chainsaw and machinery use after storms brought down shelterbelts, and that with experienced contractors in short supply some people were doing dangerous tree work themselves. It gives two examples: a person who fell four metres while using a chainsaw on a partly fallen tree and needed major surgery, and a person with a deep chainsaw injury to the foot. It also mentions tractors used to pull out damaged trees.

The release says storm-damaged trees can be unpredictable, with hidden pressure that can release suddenly, and that this is not the same as cutting firewood. It tells farmers to fence off dangerous areas, keep people away and wait for someone with the right skills and gear. It adds that anyone hiring help should check for chainsaw safety training and experience working with trees under tension.

Scams and licence checks, as homeowners are told

Two US state offices published warnings for homeowners after storms. They are useful context for a crew that wants to be told apart from storm chasers.

Office	Date	Warns about
Tennessee Attorney General	February 4, 2026	Upfront payment, cash only, no written terms
Georgia Attorney General	September 25, 2024	Upfront payment, cash only, offers to cover a deductible

The Tennessee Attorney General's consumer alert on tree trimming and removal scams lists red flags: door-to-door sales, high-pressure tactics, demands for full payment upfront, insistence on cash, and refusal to put terms in writing. It also lists unsolicited calls or texts and tree services claiming to be affiliated with an insurance company or government agency, and says to verify that independently. On licensing, it says contractors doing most storm repair work are typically required to hold a contractor's license, but that the governor suspended the licensing requirement until March 7, 2026 for storm damage cleanup, while still requiring "sufficient experience and knowledge in the field".

The Georgia Attorney General's storm scam warning tells homeowners to steer clear of any contractor who asks for full payment up front, takes only cash or refuses a written contract, and to be skeptical of anyone who offers to pay an insurance deductible. For tree removal it tells homeowners to check with the International Society of Arboriculture that the person has a valid arborist license. It also says certain trades, including tree removal services, are not required to be licensed by the state. Rules differ by state, so a homeowner's state office is the place to confirm what applies.

At a glance

Country	Storm pages	Publisher
United States	Hurricane eMatrix, tree care memo, state scam alerts	OSHA, state attorneys general
Canada	None linked	Not applicable
United Kingdom	Power lines, windblow, emergency tree work	HSE, Scottish Forestry, ICF
Australia	General tree work risks only	SafeWork NSW
New Zealand	Storm-damaged trees release	WorkSafe New Zealand

For the slower health hazards of the same work, see the guide on ticks, poison ivy, noise and vibration.