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Ivy removal on garage forecourt

Been asked to quote on ivy removal on a wall on a garage forecourt, I will be using a long reach hedgetrimmer, to get the worst of it off was just wondering of best procedures other than the obvious cones, signs etc, it is near to some vapour pipes, I'm just concerned using machinery. As they always say switch off mobiles, the proprietor has informed me there is no danger. Any advice would be appreciated. The wall with the ivy is on the forecourt so we are going to have to be carefull with customers etc.

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  • Hi Chris,

    I've done a fair few of these and the best way to tackle is to cut at the bottom and with either loppers/silky/chainsaw. Then pull it off from the bottom upwards, easing off with a jimmy bar. if you pull from the top down it just tears.

    Cutting off the worst with a hedgecutter will create lots of mess/dust and it's likely to stick to the wall in bits. If you clear it from the bottom its likely to come off in one large piece if you're lucky.

    Simon

    • PRO
      Spot on! The only way I attempt to do them!
    • PRO
      Yeah just how I'd do it, much easier getting the ivy off in one clump, rather than trimming with hedge cutter then peeling off what's left, far to time consuming.
  • This reply was deleted.
    • PRO
      Second this also, face mask essential, the dust from ivy is a major irritant to respiratory system..
  • The "turn off mobiles" is a complete fallacy. There was supposedly one forecourt that went up due to a portable phone of very early design, in Germany I think, which led to the signs.

    I worked a few months in a petrol station after my a-levels. That would have been 1986, so the mobile tech has moved on just a bit since then and modern phones don't run the risk of a spark between the battery pack, in a briefcase back then, and the handset!

    If you think about it, whilst you are filling up there are cars driving around with many spark plugs firing thousands of times, and people with a fag on walking past the site.

    I'd be wary of using machinery too close to the vapour pipes though. They are designed to vent fumes high-up, so out of risk at ground level but not if you're up a ladder near them, but I guess the slightest wind would be dissipating the fumes immediately.

    As said, best to work from the base anyway. I assume they want the ivy poisoned, so you'll be cutting through the stems at the bottom anyway. Wear a mask, and pull the whole lot off? You might need to be careful if it's got high enough to be under tiles or wrapped around cables or guttering, but then a hedgecutter wouldn't be ideal there either so it's careful removal by hand.

  • PRO
    Please check for birds nesting also, even if you don't get job if you see nests in the ivy please make garage owner aware, cheers H
  • A spade is a  handy tool for prizing it off the wall. put some cones out where you are working as I think half of the drivers need to go to speck savers, the vent pipes will be to let air in , I think there is some regs about venting petroleum vapours if in doubt ask the manager about it also risk assessment

    the story I herd about mobile phones was it affected the  pump readout in the customer's favour   

  • It might be prudent to phone your insurance broker / company to check that there isn't any limitations with your PL Insurance working at the garage / fuel filling station?

    • PRO

      + 1. Also thought most major chains required special 'tickets' to work on these sites (and limit type of machinery ?), along with full RAMS & Permits?

  • A flat crowbar, google wonderbar, is perfect.

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