Safety

Exposure to electric current is one of the many hazard sources during arboricultural operations. But electricity is one of the most unforgiving of these sources. A review of utility data shows that one in four contacts that resulted in an injury to an arborist working near overhead power lines was fatal. While contact with electrical […]

This is a continuation of the discussion of the electrical-system equipment found along distribution lines. One of the requirements for arborists working in proximity to an electrical hazard – within 10 feet of the lines – is familiarity with the equipment that shares the poles with the lines. The electrical-system equipment can be divided into […]

Petzl requests the inspection of certain Grillon products following the detection of ropes mounted incorrectly in the rope adjuster of recently produced Grillon products. In such a case, the product does not perform its blocking function, which can result in a risk of injury. Please immediately stop sales and use of Grillon products manufactured between […]

Basic terminology and how the electric-power system works from generation to the end consumer was covered in Part 1 of this series (TCI Magazine, October 2023). This article will focus on the distribution system. Trees are often near these lines, so arborists need to be familiar with the associated electrical-system equipment. Arborists need to be […]

What happened? On October 14, 2022, a 51-year-old owner of a tree and landscape company was performing maintenance on a skid-steer loader in a garage. He was working alone and was changing the wheels over to tracks for snow removal for the winter season. The skid steer was not properly secured – it was supported […]