List of deaths from falling tree parts in Australia

Trees often have a substantial mass stored above ground. Trees and tree parts can and do fail, and this mass is converted to kinetic energy. These failures can cause substantial damage and occasionally result in the death of a person. However, the number of deaths caused by accidental tree failures is quite small even though trees are naturally shedding organisms. When talking about the situation in the United Kingdom, Ball & Ball-King state, "the risk to the public of harm from falling trees is minuscule [sic], and the reality that the prospects of reducing the risk below the current level are remote and comparable to finding a microscopic needle in a gargantuan haystack." In the UK the annual mortality rate from accidental tree failure has averaged at about 6 per annum, however, no figures have been published for Australia. The following is a list of deaths from accidental tree failures. The data excludes any fatality where human invention caused the failure. This eliminates deaths of those are killed while working on or cutting down trees where the failure was caused by that work.

The list
The abbreviations for the headings are as follows:

Situ (Situation)
 * H- House
 * C – Caravan
 * Bi – Bike
 * MV – Motor vehicle
 * T -Tent
 * O – Outdoor
 * R – Related tree deaths
 * LS – Light structure

Industry
 * S – School, Scout, Department of Education.
 * A – Accidental

Deaths during the process of work being done on trees
The following is a list of deaths that have occurred during the process of work being done on trees. It is assumed that when those that are working on trees are killed by the tree. These deaths are almost always the result of the work that was being done and not because the tree or a part of the tree failed on its own accord.

Accidental deaths where failure was caused by fire
This is a list of deaths where the deceased was inadvertently killed by a falling tree or tree part and was not using fire as a part of a tree removal or land clearing process.

Coronial comments and advice
The coronial recommendations and comments varied considerably. Where the coroner's findings were made public, the decedent's name has been provided. The following comments and findings have been given

Case 1: Aidan Bott 2006

(i)     That there be education and advice provided by relevant agencies to school principals both public and private, as to the requirements for tree maintenance ...

''(ii)    That there be compulsory inspection of all trees in school yards in all schools, both public and private, ... at least every 6 months.''

(iii)   That such inspections be conducted by qualified arborists.

Case 2:

Based on the observations of the site inspection and with particular reference to the external appearance of the stem, as it probably would have appeared prior to the failure, it is unlikely that the subject tree would have been identified as a potential hazard if a routine tree inspection was undertaken

Case 3:

At ''the position of failure external examination revealed no visible signs of lack of integrity, however internal examination revealed fungal activity and significant decay. ''

Case 4

(i) A regular (and documented) review of the area by an appropriate expert (an arborist);

(ii) A tree planting program that recognises and minimises the longer term risk;

(iii) Where a building or B.B.Q area is likely to be constructed an appropriate mechanism should be established for identifying potentially dangerous trees in the immediate area and reducing the risk.

Case 5:

''The [arborist] concluded that it was'...hard to determine what actually occurred. [For example,] the lean of the tree, the crown weight, exudations, the overall health and condition of the tree was undeterminable because the tree was inspected in a failed state ... It is my opinion that from a visual inspection it would have been impossible to determine any major or minor internal structural decay, with normal weather conditions it would be considered unlikely for tree failure to occur but not impossible''

Case 6:

... the accident was clearly caused by a structural fault with a dead tree that would certainly have been picked up with an arborist inspection of the tree prior to the accident'.

It is apparent that whilst such inspection of trees is desirable to avoid a recurrence of such an accident, the reality is that it is just far too cost prohibitive for any rural Council to embark upon.”

Case 6

[''The tree] was 21 metres in length and was dead with no living tissue noted. [The arboricultural consultant] saw obvious signs of advanced decay as well as obvious signs of past and current termite activities. In [the consultant's] view the tree had been dead for approximately 3-5 years ...''

... at the time when camping grounds are being created for use by paying campers, an inspection by an arboricultural consultant, or similar professional, be conducted so as to ensure that hazards posed by trees will be kept to a minimum.

''... at camping grounds visited by regular campers, regular inspections should be conducted by persons with relevant training and experience to ensure that hazards are kept to a minimum and trees which are likely to fall on campsites are removed within a reasonable timeframe. I further recommend that any pruning be conducted by suitably experienced and qualified persons in accordance with Australian Standard 4373 (1996) Pruning of Amenity Tree Standards. I further recommend that a pruning cycle of 5 – 8 years be established in order to address developing structural issues''.

Case 7

''An arborist inspected the tree at the request of Police who reported that the tree was dead and most likely had been dead for about 12 months. The presence of a vine over the tree would have concealed its dead state from an untrained eye.''

Case 8: Rebecca Anne Penfold Jolly

''It is impractical to expect that every single tree in metropolitan Adelaide will be individually inspected and assessed. It is probably impractical to expect even that, within existing resources, every tree that might pose a risk if it failed will be so inspected. Of course, when a risk has been drawn to a local authorities' attention, then it is incumbent upon that authority to carry out a complete inspection of that risk in accordance with generally accepted standards.''

Case 9: Bridget Wright

''[An] Arborist, inspected the tree the next day. He concluded:''

·       The branch fell because the tree was unhealthy and had significant problems

·       There was extensive fungal decay at the site of the branch failure, affecting approximately two thirds of the diameter of its base

·       An aerial inspection also revealed a 3 metre cavity at the base of the main leaders that contained a large bee hive and there was also bracket fungi on a number of the other branches

·       While these defects would not have been obvious from the ground, there were enough indicators visible from the ground to warrant an aerial inspection

As a result of these actions, over 9,000 trees have been removed from public school grounds across the State.

There was nothing to indicate any specific concerns about the large Red Forest Gum tree in the playground on that day.

What is clear from the evidence is that it was known that the large branch which failed was extended with significant end weight