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8 Facts You Ought to Know Before Hiring a Tree Worker
#1. Tree work is regulated by local council
Trees in NSW are regulated by local council. Before you begin any tree work you will need to check your permit requirements. And if necessary, obtain a tree work permit.
#2. Heavy fines for damaging a protected tree
There are heavy fines for damaging a protected tree – from $3k on the spot fine, to $1.1m if the case goes to The Land and Environmental Court of New South Wales. Some LGA’s offer rewards of up to $10k for information that leads to a successful prosecution.
#3. Tree work exemptions
Not all tree work requires a council permit. The size of your tree, its health, the proximity to buildings, the type of tree work, and certain tree species, are all factors that can qualify for a permit exemption. Complete a permit assessment, or speak to an arborist who can advise you.
#4. Exempt tree species
Most LGA’s have an exempt tree species list that doesn’t require a council permit. These are often undesirable or invasive species that outcompete native trees, or cause some form of ecological damage.
#5. Tree work is dangerous business
Tree work is ranked among the most dangerous industries. Every year property owners and workers are killed in accidents involving unsafe tree work on private property.
#6. Australian safety standards
All tree work must conform to Australian safety standards – AS 4373-2007 pruning of amenity tree. Work that doesn’t conform will invalidate insurance and tree work permits.
#7. Arborist Qualifications
Your LGA may require all work be carried out by an Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) Arborist. Not all businesses offering tree services use appropriately qualified workers. Which increases your accident and liability risk.
#8. Low-cost operators
There is a cost to delivering professional tree services. Heavy machinery, insurance, qualified workers, and proper safety protocols all add to the cost of delivering a quality service. Some low-cost operators cut corners and use unskilled workers. This can invalidate any insurance cover and increate your risk of accident or liability.
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ConsumerGuide.com.au gives you information to support your buying decision. And then connects you with local service providers.
With the right information we help you find quality products & service faster and easier than ever. We do this in three primary ways…
Firstly, we provide relevant information to help you make your buying decision. Ordinarily, a tradesman will do a site inspection before they give you a price. However, using our custom price tool, you can get a price estimate in 60 seconds online – before you contact a tradie.
Second, we connect you with quality local services. Our success relies on you returning and using this website in the future. And this will only happen if you have a positive experience using this service. Which is why we hold the highest standards for our website content and recommendations.
And third, we help service providers lower their operational costs. Businesses invest time and money every time they give a free quote. These costs are passed on to the end customer. Yet thanks to our price tool, we help reduce the amount of time a business spends on quotations that do not convert to a job. Allowing businesses to invest in better quality services at competitive rates.