Although most people think of utility workers when bucket trucks are mentioned, the initial purpose of this vehicle was for picking fruit. The first cherry pickers were just that – trucks outfitted with buckets and baskets to get workers to the tops of trees to harvest fruit. Much later this equipment found its way into the utility industry; now these vehicles are an indispensable part of the tree service industry There is still no better way to reach high into a tree as safely and easily as with the use of a bucket truck.
Routine Maintenance
Many trees require pruning to stay healthy or to keep them from growing across power lines, a house, or anywhere else that limbs or dead leaves can create problems. The safest and fastest way to do this type of maintenance is with a bucket truck. One or two workers can take care of multiple trees in a day, making the job efficient, affordable and safe for all involved.
Buckets also make easy work out of maneuvering around tall branches and hedges when trying to give shape and trim them. The boom can move a worker around to get a better idea of the aesthetic look of pruning efforts without having to climb down and look or rely on the direction of workers on the ground.
Limb Removal
Any tree that is diseased, cracked, has broken limbs, been struck by lightning, or is otherwise unstable is a threat to everyone in its area and should be pruned back or taken down. What is not realized is that this job can be very dangerous, since limbs could fall and hit by-standing workers and doing this work on ladders puts workers at great risk.
When using bucket trucks, not only are there other attachments available for lifting and steadying damaged trees but the worker is suspended in front of limbs rather than sitting on them. So if a fall should happen, there is a much lower chance that a worker would be injured. Though there is always a possibility of an accident or injury even when using a bucket truck, that likelihood is drastically reduced as compared to climbing a ladder to do the work.
Animal Rescue
As silly as it may seem, cats do get stuck in trees, and what better means of getting them down than with a bucket truck? As agile as these feline creatures may be, many times they will climb a tree in fear and get high up into one and then become afraid to climb back down. This has led to the age-old tale of a fireman rescuing the cat from a tree from a bucket. Local humane societies and veterinarians generally advise to calling a pruning company to get animals out of trees. Going up after a cat in a bucket is the safest way to rescue Fluffy or Tiger, and there are few others who are skilled or qualified to go up that high in a tree.
Although not be suitable for every job, these vehicles are suitable for most tasks and come highly recommended by the workers who use them. Of course, workers in the tree industry should be properly trained to climb, if necessary, mainly to ensure that it can be come safely in situations where it may be necessary. For most jobs, bucket trucks are a time saver, work saver, and in some cases a lifesaver. Any pruning company not currently using a bucket truck should reconsider the benefits to be gained by purchasing one. These vehicles often pay for themselves many times over, making them the best piece of equipment any tree pruning company could purchase!
