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Looking back over decades of running a tree service, I can reflect that I was fortunate to never have had a catastrophic injury in my company. Was it luck, or constant vigilance? Probably both.

If you run a business in what is arguably one of the most dangerous occupations in America, statistically, sooner or later someone is going to get hurt, and, quite scarily and sadly, someone could get permanently injured or killed.

I was fortunate to never have had that. In the last 10-plus years of running a growing business, we just didn’t have injuries, most notably any that were reportable. Was it five, seven, nine years without a reportable injury? I just can’t remember.

Safety attracts safety
There probably are a few reasons for our lack of injuries, but perhaps the best reason is “like travels with like,” meaning people naturally gravitate toward others who share similar characteristics and values. We earned TCIA Accreditation, which required at least one Certified Treecare Safety Professional (CTSP) on staff, and that was me. No customer ever asked me if I was a CTSP, though I would bring it up if I felt it was relevant. But what these credentials did do was attract quality workers.

Arborists from out of my area who were thinking of moving to it saw on my webpage that I was a CTSP. They applied. Workers from competing companies who were concerned about their company’s safety culture, or lack thereof, applied for jobs. And those who were already working for me knew they were working for the safest company in the area and stuck around.

There’s a town in Vermont, about 15 miles from my shop, called Morrisville that has its own electric department. One of their lead line workers had a nephew and son who, when each was in their late teens, wanted to be “tree men.” Now, curiously, the town never hired my company, as they always lowballed the work. And the power company hired prisoners when it came to clearing lines. But when this top foreman had a son and nephew wanting to learn the business, mine was the only company he would allow them to work at. I thought that was a telling sign. (Ironically, I ended up firing the nephew after about 3 1/2 years for causing machinery breakage, property damage and several close calls, but that’s another story).

Safe is easier
But to my point, I do believe that like travels with like, and by having my CTSP, paying crew members to get their CTSP credential and eventually paying some to get their TRAQ (Tree-Risk Assessment Qualification) certification, it allowed my company to nurture a culture of safety. It encouraged people to stay around longer and, quite frankly, made my job more fun, because I didn’t have dumbass guys doing stupid things that can drive an owner nuts. (Or at least not as often as your average tree service).

I will say that, in my opinion, earning and retaining the CTSP credential is a bit more challenging than it needs to be. For one thing, the CEU (continuing education credit) requirements are more onerous than they should be, which may cause some people to drop the credential. But there’s still no doubt that being a CTSP and having a culture of safety at my company made my job easier, attracted good help, kept that good help around and just made for a better and happier tree service.

Michael Roche, now retired, is the former owner of Vermont Arborists, an accredited, long-time TCIA member company based in Stowe, Vermont, now a SavATree company. He is still a Certified Arborist and a Certified Treecare Safety Professional (CTSP), now living in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire.

Note: The CTSP CEU (continuing education unit) recertification process, approved and supported by the CTSP Credentialing Council, offers many opportunities for CTSPs to earn CEUs. They can earn CEUs not only by participating in seminars and training (education CEUs), but also by providing training to their crew and enhancing their safety programs (training- and program-development CEUs). Essentially, they can earn CEUs by performing their primary job responsibilities. Fully understanding the CTSP recertification process is essential to maximizing its benefits and maintaining an active CTSP status.