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 […]

Back when I worked on a tree crew, I remember one particular January with a higher-than-average number of 10- to 15-degree F days and knee-deep snows. I couldn’t seem to add enough layers. Fortunately, the only lasting scar I carried away from that winter was a newfound love of coffee, after a sales arborist brought […]

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 […]

AN EXCERPT FROM TCIA’S “BEST PRACTICES OF SAFETY IN ARBORICULTURE” “Best Practices of Safety in Arboriculture” is an illustrated guide to the Z133 Safety Standard, with additional action steps to mitigate risk. Trainers can pair this manual with the Tailgate Safety Training Program and/or other industry references as a way to refresh daily/weekly crew-training sessions. […]

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 […]