How to Start Your Own Tree Service: Dangers

If you are interested in starting your own tree service, the first thing you might want to think about is the danger involved in cutting down trees.  As a boy growing up, it was always interesting to shake hands with the guys that worked at my dad's sawmill, quite a few of the seasoned loggers were missing fingers.  

There are a lot of dangers involved in working with trees and chainsaws.  One of the most dangerous, believe it or not, is the tree itself after you've cut it down.  Many of the branches are bent back behind other trees or obstacle and they are like load guns ready to snap at a person that cuts them with a chainsaw.  

Of course, if you are starting a tree service, you are probably not going to be felling (taking down) trees in one shot.  You will most likely be climbing high up in the tree and taking small sections of the tree down and trying to keep them from hitting houses, cars, children, your workers or poodles.   That said, I watched my dad who is almost 70 take down a 60 foot pine between two suburban houses, by himself, in about ten minutes.

The chainsaw is a man's tool.  It demands respect.  Even the slightest off day and you could get seriously injured or die.  I grazed my leg one time as the chain had almost stop and it instantly opened my leg up in shreds.  Operating a tool that can slice through a tree with a diameter of 4 feet in minutes is serious.  If this scares you.  Turn back now.  There are easier ways to make a living.  

Starting your own tree service is not for you if:

You are afraid of heights.

You don't like physical labor.

You don't like being outside in all kinds of weather.  

You don't like people watching you work.