Don’t “Blow It” with Hydraulics Safety
Arborists work with equipment utilizing hydraulics every day – chippers, chip-dump beds, stump grinders, aerial lifts and the list goes on. While accidents from hydraulic-fluid leaks are rare within the tree care industry, they can result in serious injuries and even amputation. Before we talk about hydraulic injuries and how to prevent them, let’s look […]
Palm Saturday
Even at my ripe old age of 63, arboriculture always offers new challenges, besides finding my boots. As an arborist in the Northeast, the only encounters I have had with palms (not a tree) have been recreational. I had imagined it would remain that way until I was asked to take a look at a […]
Accident Briefs for October 2021
Lift operator electrocuted, son hurt The operator of an aerial lift was electrocuted and his son was injured while trying to rescue him October 1, 2021, in Melbourne Beach, Florida. The man was in the bucket of a lift working for a tree-trimming service when he accidentally made contact with an electric line while trimming […]
Life-Changing Lessons Learned After Serious Incident
Because of the sensitive nature of this report and the incident that prompted it, Frank (not his real name), owner of a seven-year TCIA member company based in California, asked that his and his company’s names not be used. He came to us with the following information, saying, “I feel there’s something to be learned […]
Why Safety?
Buckets, chippers and chain saws … oh my! Struck-bys and ’lectric and falls … oh my! The variety of ways we can hurt ourselves in this business is amazing. It makes sense that we ought to be obsessed with safety and promote a culture of safety that normalizes the philosophy of “See something, say something.” […]