Tree care can be one of the most hazardous parts of being in the green industry. Works in tree care are very prone to injury if their fleet manager doesn’t provide them with the proper training and safety equipment. If the trees do not cause injury, the equipment workers use may do so. Making sure workers are properly trained in all aspects is of the utmost importance for safety in the tree care industry.
All tree care workers should at least have the following pieces of safety equipment.
- Ear Plugs
- Helmet
- Gloves
- High Visibility Clothing
- Eye Protection
Below are 5 tips for safety in the tree care industry
- Inspect the job before starting it. Arrange a meeting with the client before the actual work date to do a preliminary assessment. This will give you a chance to come up with a plan to execute the job in the safest and proficient way.
- Make sure your workers are outfitted with the proper safety equipment. This also goes along with doing a pre-assessment. You want to make sure you have enough equipment for everyone. Nothing is worse than having to delay a job if your workers are not outfitted properly.
- Watch the power lines at the job site. Ladders, pole trimmers, and other high reaching tools can cause electricity injury near power lines if not used safely. Make sure workers are treating all lines like they are live until they have confirmation. This is especially important for lines downed during storms.
- Inspect the tree before letting workers climb it. Although climbers should be wearing ropes and a climbing harness, it is good to make sure they limbs are safe to climb to. Never use dead, weak, or cracked limbs as support when climbing. If the tree is not safe to climb, an aerial lift may be the answer.
- Make sure your coworkers and passerbys are safe. Wear high visibility vests and always rope or tape off where you’re going to be working. If you are working on a road, make sure you have cones to give workers enough space between them and traffic. 2-way radios will help communication if traffic needs to be stopped and directed.
Valley Green has a spectacular variety of tree care products to choose from. Come check out one of our 7 locations.