MEWP stands for Mobile Elevated Working Platform and is also sometimes referred to as a cherry- picker, a hoist or a platform. MEWPs that are used by tree surgeons come truck-mounted, static or on tracks like this one, making them easier to manoeuvre into place.
There are a number of reasons why your tree surgeon might recommend using a MEWP instead of climbing the tree and working from a rope and harness:
The MEWP allows for more stability and control working at height; it enables work at height to be done on a tree which may not be safe to climb because of decay or unforeseeable conditions, as happens when the trunk is completely ivy-clad; it helps the climber to target their physical energy use on the tree work itself rather than on the act of moving around the tree and this can help the job move more quickly as well as more safely.
All of this can, of course, help to reduce the risk of falling in or from the tree, and serious injury to the climber or people beneath the tree. The photos below show Andrew working with his ground crew using a small, the EASY R160 on an ivy-clad tree in Cliddesden recently.
There are circumstances where MEWPs cannot be used.
The ground needs to be relatively stable and flat; the crown of the tree may be inaccessible from a MEWP; there may be limited access to the tree itself with no space for a MEWP. Then, we continue to rely on the skill and experience of a qualified climber in a rope and harness.
And where we can use a MEWP, we are still reliant on qualified tree surgeons who are also trained MEWP operators, appropriately experienced to use a chainsaw from the bucket.For advice and free, detailed quotes for tree work, call Andrew on 01256 817369 or 07771 883061 or email him at Andrew@primarytreesurgeons.co.uk. For more images of Primary Tree Surgeons at work, follow us on Twitter @PrimaryTreeSurg