Staying Safe While Performing Line Clearance in California Snow
A string of severe snow storms affecting California this winter resulted in a statewide snowpack that on March 3rd measured 177% of the daily average. The previous record for a single day was achieved in 1969, when the snowpack reached 263% of the daily average. So, as of March 3rd, this is the deepest the […]
Ryan Ealy Likes EHAP Online Safety Training for Busy Lives
Ryan Ealy, CTSP, has been a utility consultant for several large U.S. companies. As such, he has found becoming a TCIA Qualified Trainer – one of the first to do so – and using TCIA’s online Electrical Hazards Awareness Program (EHAP) training course a good match for both safety training and tree workers’ schedules. “TCIA […]
In Defense of Utility Pruning
The work of utility arborists is out there for all to see, and most people have an opinion about it. There is certainly plenty of discussion, both pro and con, about the amount of pruning and the appearance of trees following the work. What many do not understand is why the work is necessary and […]
But There Are Power Lines Over There!
I am not a line-clearance arborist. I have worked in the residential side of arboriculture my entire career and maintain a healthy respect for what’s flowing through those lines. If I’m being honest, I get spooked when I’m around them. So I do everything I can to keep myself and my work away from them […]
Crane Safety: Electrifying Hazards
Crane-safety experts’ observations about the hazards of power lines, taking safety precautions and the need for training Working on trees around power lines can be a killer – literally. But in tree work involving cranes, added danger often comes from another area: complacency. “The biggest thing we come across is complacency in terms of pre-op […]