Two Aerial-Lift Rescue Methods
As an industry, we, collectively, agree that more time should be dedicated to aerial-rescue training, especially scenarios involving tree climbers. But how much time is dedicated to emergency situations involving an arborist aloft in an aerial-lift bucket or platform? Here are a couple of options that could be incorporated into an aerial-lift training session for […]
Roots in Ground, Body in Trunk, Spirit in Sky
A few years back, not far removed from my first stay at a mental-health facility, I found myself chanting these words – “roots in ground, body in trunk, spirit in sky” – over and over while under the crown of a huge sugar maple in my favorite local cemetery. The air was still and oppressive. […]
Accident Briefs for January 2022
Minor injuries suspected when aerial lift tips An aerial lift being used for line-clearance tree trimming tipped over January 6, 2022, on the shoulder of a road in Hayden, Idaho, taking down power lines and causing a power outage to about 200 homes. It is presumed the operator sustained at least minor injuries crashing into […]
Tree Worker Safety Update By the Numbers: Another Us vs. Them
Another year, and arboricultural operations are still among the leading industrial activities for fatal and nonfatal injuries. Compared to all industries, tree workers have at least 15 times the fatality rate (Bureau of Labor Statistics 2020a) and three times the nonfatal rate (BLS 2018). You might take some comfort in the nonfatal rate being “only” […]
Injuries Involving Handsaws and Pole Saws: Another Us Versus Them
Handsaws and pole saws – what more basic pruning tools are there than these? Handsaws are mandatory for most tree crews. Every time their feet leave the ground, whether climbing the tree or flying the aerial lift, a tree worker must have a handsaw with them. Pole saws extend the radius of our reach. They […]