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Toolbox Talks
Tree Felling – Toolbox Talk
Tree felling is one of the most dangerous jobs in forestry—responsible for over 40% of fatal incidents in the industry.
- Page 1: topic overview, key hazards and best practices
- Page 2: crew sign-in sheet
- Page 3: leader guide for the supervisor
- See how it works below ↓See how it works below ↓
Written by certified COR auditors · Trusted by Canadian contractors for 17+ years · Secure Stripe checkout · Instant delivery + re-download any time from your purchases page
How this talk works
- — Read it to the crew. Why it matters, the key hazards, best practices, a quick self-check and the legislation behind it.
- — Everyone signs. The topic is filled in; add the date, site, presenter, attendees and any follow-up actions. Keep it on file as the record of who attended, which is what COR/SECOR and prequalification auditors look for.
- — Supervisor prep. How to run the talk, discussion questions, visual aids and engagement ideas, and related training.
About this talk
Tree felling is one of the most dangerous jobs in forestry—responsible for over 40% of fatal incidents in the industry.
This Tree Felling Toolbox Talk equips crews with real-world strategies to identify hazards, plan each cut, and avoid deadly mistakes like barber chairs, falling limbs, and poor escape routes.
Perfect for logging contractors, wildfire response crews, utility vegetation management teams, and fallers in silviculture or maintenance roles.
What you get
3-page Toolbox Talk Kit
1-page Topic Overview
covers barber chair risks, lean direction, chainsaw safety, terrain instability, and PPE use
1-page Supervisor Guide
includes field walkthrough prompts, live hazard assessment tips, and discussion tools
1-page Printable Sign-In Sheet
formatted for COR/SECOR, ISNetworld, and audit documentation
Why this one and not a free handout
- This Toolbox Talk is built for real forest work—not just theory: Visuals and walkaround prompts help crews assess terrain, tree condition, and escape paths
- Crew prompts like: “When did you last abort a plan—and why?” Optional add-ons: spray paint demo for escape paths, stump review of poor notch cuts, QR links to chainsaw inspection steps
- Emphasizes: Every tree is different. Guessing = injury.
“When did you last abort a plan—and why?”
Who it is for
- Forestry and vegetation contractors
- Silviculture, wildfire, and utility vegetation control teams
- Chainsaw operators, site supervisors, and OHS leads
- COR/SECOR, OH&S Part 26, and chainsaw safety program alignment
Common questions
Before you buy
What people ask us about the Tree Felling – Toolbox Talk.
What is included in the Tree Felling toolbox talk?
A ready-to-run safety meeting on tree felling, written for Canadian worksites and formatted so a supervisor can pick it up and deliver it without preparation. It includes a leader guide with the discussion points to work through. It also includes a printable sign-in sheet for recording who attended.
How long does the Tree Felling toolbox talk take to run?
Most crews get through a talk in ten to fifteen minutes, which is what a pre-shift or tailgate meeting can absorb without cutting into the work. The material is written to be read aloud and discussed rather than presented.
Does this count as evidence in a COR, SECOR or ISNetworld audit?
The completed sign-in sheet is the record an auditor generally looks for as evidence that the talk happened and who was there, so keeping the signed sheets on file is what gives the talk its value at audit time. A toolbox talk is hazard communication, though, not formal training - it does not replace certification or competency training where a regulation or a prime contractor requires it.
What format is it, and when do I get it?
It is a digital download in a print-ready format, available immediately after checkout. Print as many copies as your crews need - the licence covers use inside your own company.
Can we add our company name to it?
Yes. The talk is meant to go into your own safety program, so you can add your company name and issue it as your own record.
Who should deliver the Tree Felling talk?
Whoever runs the pre-shift meeting - normally a supervisor, foreman, or a competent worker familiar with the task. The guide is written so the person delivering it does not need to be a safety professional.
From the team that wrote it
A toolbox talk is one piece of a program.
Talks like this one prove your crew was trained on the day. The rest of the evidence - the manual behind it, and the training records an auditor asks for - is what we build.