Don't Be Stumped
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800-517-8867
East Bay Stump Removal
Matthew Morgenstern
East Bay Stump Removal ewbstump@hotmail.com
Safety
Safety is a big consideration when removing stumps. Stump grinders are powerful machines and should only be operated by experienced and properly trained individuals who understand the potential hazards and what to do about them. Here are a few points that any stump removal contractor should address:
Locate Utilities
If the work is taking place in the front yard, the location of gas, electric, cable, telephone and water must be known prior to digging. It is the contractor’s responsibility to contact service providers so that they can mark the location of their pipes or wires before the job starts. Flags and/or spray paint are used to mark utilities. When this has been done, you will see something like this on your property:
Each utility uses its own color to mark their lines. If the location of any of your utilities coincides with the area to be stump ground, caution must be exercised to avoid any damage. Water service from the meter to the house will not be marked because they are installed by private contractors. These pipes are often quite shallow. If your stump is located over this pipe it is usually not safe to grind the stump much more than six inches below ground.
Don’t let anyone tell you they don’t “think” there will be a problem. You either know the location of utilities because you had them marked or you don’t. There is NO in between. Lastly, it should be understood that irrigation pipes and any other underground landscape installations will not be located by the utility company.
Watch for Flying Debris
The next consideration in removing stumps is flying debris. Due caution must be taken to avoid damage to person or property. The contractor should cover nearby windows if possible, or contain debris with a suitable barrier. If the work area is adjacent to a pool, it is advisable to cover it if possible. Here, simply enclosing the site with plywood boards prevents debris from flying into the street. Cones alert pedestrians and oncoming traffic to exercise caution.
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