Risk Assessment Flashcards
7 cards from real CTSP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Risk Assessment flashcards as text
Which environmental condition should prompt a CTSP to increase inspection frequency for high-value trees?
Answer: Prolonged drought followed by heavy rainfall
Prolonged drought weakens root systems, and subsequent heavy rain saturates soil, dramatically increasing failure risk.
A dead branch hanging in the canopy of a live tree is commonly called what?
Answer: A widow maker
A 'widow maker' is a dead or broken branch lodged in the canopy that can fall unpredictably, posing serious injury risk.
When documenting a tree risk assessment, which information is LEAST critical to include?
Answer: The tree's commercial nursery purchase price
A tree's purchase price is irrelevant to its structural risk and is not a component of a standard risk assessment report.
A CTSP performs a risk assessment and assigns a 'low' likelihood of failure but 'significant' consequences. What is the appropriate overall risk level?
Answer: Moderate
The ISA matrix combines low likelihood with significant consequences to yield a moderate overall risk rating.
Which of the following is a sign that a tree may have been previously topped, increasing its current risk?
Answer: Multiple large, weakly attached epicormic sprouts at former cut sites
Topping causes flush regrowth of weakly attached epicormic sprouts that are prone to failure as they grow large.
A CTSP recommends cabling a tree with a codominant stem as a risk mitigation measure. What is the PRIMARY purpose of this intervention?
Answer: To limit movement and reduce stress at the weak union during wind and ice loading
Supplemental support cables limit the separation of codominant stems under load, reducing the risk of catastrophic splitting.
After a major storm event, a CTSP is asked to rapidly assess 50 trees in a municipal park. Which assessment level is most appropriate for this initial survey?
Answer: Level 1 Walkby Assessment to identify urgent hazards
A Level 1 Walkby Assessment allows rapid screening of many trees to quickly identify the most urgent failure risks after a storm.