The Davey Tree Expert Company has developed the Factors & Forces Tree Inspection Protocol used by arborists to assess risks associated with climbing, pruning, and removing trees.
The Factors & Forces Tree Inspection Protocol assists arborists in understanding how trees develop, become damaged, decay and eventually fail, enabling tree care professionals to work more safely.
Tree industry professionals are trained to systematically inspect trees and identify Factors that result in structural weakness before a climber ascends the tree, and Forces that impinge on those weaknesses that may result in failure of the tree.
Factors that lead to strength loss in trees are grouped into five categories, and we’ve introduced handy reminders to help us to purposely look for each factor that can lead to strength loss. Once potential problems are identified, solutions are sought to minimize the forces that are applied to trees during work operations.