Accreditation audits are more than a checklist exercise – they’re a window into how safety practices hold up in the real world. Out in the field, small oversights can quickly become serious risks.
In this recurring department, auditors will share trends and observations from job sites across the country – practical reminders of where crews are getting it right and where vigilance is needed. Each installment will highlight real-world issues, explain why they matter and reinforce the best practices that protect crews, companies and the public. In this Safety Snapshot, an auditor spotlights the opportunities for educating team members about passing along knowledge that isn’t always “found in textbooks or product labels.”

Sam Hill Tree Care label worksheet.
All photos courtesy of Kristoffer Rasmussen

What auditors are noticing

During a recent TCIA re-Accreditation audit at Sam Hill Tree Care in Dallas, Texas, I had the opportunity to observe one of the company’s weekly Plant Health Care (PHC) label training sessions. It was a simple but highly effective process that reinforced safe work practices, regulatory compliance and knowledge sharing.

Every Wednesday morning, the PHC team spends 30 minutes reviewing one product from their inventory. On the day of my visit, the focus was Celsius, a post-emergent herbicide. Each team member received a copy of the product label, along with a worksheet designed to guide them through the critical information they must know before using the product.

Best practices

Rather than simply reading the label together, each employee individually extracted key information, including:

• Product trade name and formulation
• EPA registration number
• Typical application window
• Active ingredient(s)
• Approved application sites relevant to Sam Hill Tree Care
• Signal word
• Required personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Host plants
• Target weeds or pests
• Application rates
• Special instructions and restrictions

Once everyone completed the worksheet, the group discussed real-world applications. Team members shared customer properties where the product had been used, application successes, seasonal considerations and chemicals that could be used in combination or rotation. These discussions transformed the product label from a regulatory document into a practical field resource.

Each PHC applicator then placed the completed worksheet into a reference binder kept in their vehicle. Months later, when the product is needed, applicators have quick access to the essential label information without having to start from scratch, while still referring to the complete label whenever required.

Andrew Wimmel, director of operations for Sam Hill Tree Care, explained that these weekly sessions provide an opportunity for experienced PHC professionals to mentor newer technicians and pass along what he refers to as “tribal knowledge” – the practical experience that isn’t always found in textbooks or product labels.

Sam Hill Tree Care product storage.

A practical reminder for crews

Sam Hill Tree Care also documents all required state pesticide application records and ANSI A300 Integrated Pest Management (IPM) information within its proposal and customer relationship management (CRM) system. Maintaining these records provides a valuable history for future treatments, customer communication and regulatory audits.

Product-label training serves another important safety and compliance purpose. OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard requires employees to receive training on the hazardous chemicals they may encounter in the workplace, with Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) readily accessible to employees. This requirement extends beyond PHC applicators to general tree care crews who may work with a smaller number of chemical products but must still receive HazCom training and have access to the applicable SDSs. Failure to comply with OSHA’s Hazard Communication requirements is consistently one of the most frequently cited violations among tree care companies. Documenting HazCom training and making SDSs accessible to all employees is an important component of any company’s safety program.

Conclusion

Product labels are legal documents, but they are also powerful training tools. Sam Hill Tree Care’s weekly label review demonstrates how a short, structured training session can improve regulatory compliance, reinforce safe work practices, preserve institutional knowledge and help employees make informed decisions in the field.

Kristoffer Rasmussen is a CTSP, QT, TCIA Accreditation Auditor, ISA Urban Forest Professional and Florida Chapter Prescription Pruning Qualification Coordinator, and also serves on the TCI Magazine Editorial Advisory Committee.