Tree Safety on School Sites
The HSE highlight the importance of tree safety on school grounds
After the recent prosecution of a council over the death of a 6-year-old girl hit by a falling tree, the HSE have highlighted the importance of ensuring those responsible for school premises have effective systems in place to manage trees on their sites, particularly those in areas frequently accessed by pupils, staff and the public.
Council Fined £280,000
Newcastle City Council was fined £280,000 after the death of a six-year-old girl who was hit by a falling tree in her school playground.
Ella Henderson was playing with friends at Gosforth Park First School in Newcastle upon Tyne on 25 September 2020 when a decaying willow tree collapsed. She was taken to hospital by emergency services and died the following morning.
Several other children were hit by the falling tree but managed to escape, some with superficial injuries. An investigation by the HSE found the tree had decayed and was in a poor condition. Newcastle City Council had failed to identify the extent of the decay or to manage the risk posed by the tree.
Who is a Competent Person?
A competent person should have relevant training, skills, experience and knowledge. There are training courses available regarding the identification of tree defects from many providers, notably the Arboricultural Association (recommended by the HSE) which offers different levels of tree inspection training.
The competent person for trees on your site should undertake inspections of trees to identify any defects such as disease or structural integrity. These inspections can range from a light touch visual inspection to a more detailed formal inspection by a specialist. The type of required inspection will vary based on the tree’s location or which zone it is in, and any prior indication of structural instability or disease.
Where defects have been identified by a competent person, but a decision is made to preserve any tree that presents a risk, a tree management plan should be put in place and regularly reviewed as required, for example if the tree’s condition worsens because of damage, disease or adverse weather.
Where checks reveal defects that are outside the experience and knowledge of the person carrying them out, a system should be in place for obtaining specialist assistance and/or remedial action.
More advice on how to allocate a competent person here.
What Should Schools Do?
- Consider the risks presented by any trees on the school site/that they are responsible for;
- Ensure a competent person identifies and prioritises trees accordingly using a zoning system (for example, trees in areas likely to be frequently accessed by pupils, staff or visitors should be allocated to zone 1 with trees in less frequently accessed areas placed in zone 2); and
- Put in place effective monitoring to ensure that arrangements are communicated and implemented in practice.