Tree Service Safety Manual

What Should a Tree Service Safety Manual Include?

The contents of a Tree Service Safety Manual should be selected according to the services the company performs.

A company performing ground-level pruning and stump grinding may have different requirements than a contractor whose employees climb large trees, operate aerial lifts, remove trees with cranes, perform roadside work, or work near energized electrical conductors.

A comprehensive manual may address:

• Management and employee responsibilities.
• Hazard identification and assessment.
• Pre-job briefings.
• Job Safety Analysis (JSA/JHA).
• Tree climbing.
• Fall protection.
• Aerial lifts.
• Tree felling and removal.
• Chainsaws.
• Wood chippers.
• Stump grinders.
• Rigging.
• Cranes.
• Electrical hazards.
• Traffic and work zones.
• Personal protective equipment.
• Emergency response and rescue.
• Applicable environmental and health hazards.

Programs should be included according to the company’s actual operations and employee exposures.

Tree Care Safety Program

Tree-care work should be planned and performed according to established safe-work procedures.

Employees should understand their assigned responsibilities and the hazards associated with the work they perform.

Safety procedures should address both field and shop operations, including equipment inspection, maintenance, fueling, chemical handling, vehicle operations, and emergency response.

Supervisors should monitor changing conditions and stop or modify work when conditions create unacceptable hazards.

Pre-Job Briefing and JSA/JHA

Tree-care operations should begin with an appropriate assessment of the job and hazards.

A pre-job briefing or JSA/JHA may address:

• Tree condition.
• Work location.
• Tree height and configuration.
• Dead or damaged limbs.
• Decay.
• Electrical conductors.
• Climbing methods.
• Aerial-lift positioning.
• Rigging.
• Falling and drop zones.
• Traffic.
• Pedestrians.
• Buildings and property.
• Weather.
• Equipment.
• Emergency response.

Employees should understand the work sequence, individual responsibilities, communication methods, and emergency procedures before work begins.

Conditions should be reassessed when the job changes.

Tree and Worksite Hazard Assessment

Trees should be evaluated before employees climb, cut, rig, or remove them.

Conditions that may affect safe work include:

• Dead limbs.
• Cracks.
• Splits.
• Decay.
• Cavities.
• Root damage.
• Lean.
• Storm damage.
• Weak branch attachments.
• Nearby structures.
• Overhead electrical conductors.
• Terrain.
• Vehicle traffic.
• Underground hazards.
• Insects or wildlife.
• Wind and weather.

The assessment should determine whether the planned climbing, cutting, rigging, and removal methods remain appropriate.

Tree Climbing Safety

Employees who climb trees should be trained and authorized for the climbing techniques and equipment they use.

Before climbing, employees should evaluate the tree and determine:

• Appropriate climbing method.
• Suitable tie-in points.
• Climbing route.
• Work position.
• Cutting hazards.
• Electrical exposure.
• Falling-object exposure.
• Rescue considerations.

Climbing equipment should be inspected before use and used according to its intended purpose and limitations.

Climbing Equipment

Tree-climbing equipment may include:

• Arborist saddles.
• Harnesses.
• Climbing ropes.
• Lanyards.
• Carabiners.
• Snap hooks.
• Ascenders.
• Descenders.
• Friction devices.
• Spurs or climbing gaffs.
• Throw lines.
• Approved connectors and hardware.

Equipment should be compatible with the climbing system and appropriate for the work being performed.

Damaged, contaminated, excessively worn, or otherwise unsafe equipment should be removed from service.

Climbing Ropes, Saddles and Harnesses

Climbing ropes and life-support equipment require careful inspection and maintenance.

Employees should look for:

• Cuts.
• Abrasion.
• Glazing.
• Chemical contamination.
• Excessive wear.
• Damaged stitching.
• Deformed hardware.
• Corrosion.
• Improper operation.

Life-support equipment should be stored and maintained to protect it from unnecessary damage.

Fall Protection

Tree-service employees may be exposed to falls while climbing trees, working from aerial devices, using ladders, or performing other elevated work.

Appropriate fall-protection or work-positioning systems should be selected according to the task, equipment, and applicable requirements.

Employees should be trained to properly use, inspect, connect, adjust, and maintain their systems.

Aerial Lift Tree Work

Aerial lifts are commonly used to position employees for pruning and tree-removal operations.

Before operation, employees should consider:

• Equipment inspection.
• Ground conditions.
• Outriggers.
• Overhead electrical conductors.
• Traffic.
• Falling limbs.
• Load capacity.
• Fall protection.
• Boom positioning.
• Emergency lowering procedures.

Aerial devices should be operated within manufacturer limitations and applicable safety requirements.

Tree Felling and Removal

Tree removal should be planned before cutting begins.

Planning should consider:

• Tree lean.
• Tree condition.
• Wind.
• Nearby trees.
• Buildings.
• Vehicles.
• Electrical conductors.
• Escape routes.
• Falling direction.
• Rigging.
• Employees and bystanders.

Employees who are not necessary to the cutting operation should remain outside hazardous areas.

Directional Felling

When trees are felled from the ground, employees should determine an appropriate felling direction and establish escape routes before cutting.

The cutting method should account for:

• Natural lean.
• Crown weight.
• Wind.
• Defects.
• Obstacles.
• Terrain.
• Adjacent property.
• Electrical hazards.

Employees should not remain in the expected fall path of the tree.

Falling Limbs and Struck-By Hazards

Falling trees, limbs, tops, tools, and equipment can create severe struck-by hazards.

Employees should establish and maintain appropriate separation between cutting operations and other workers.

Ground employees should remain alert to overhead work and should not enter a hazardous area without communicating with the climber or employee performing the cutting.

Drop Zones

A drop zone should be established where falling limbs, logs, tools, or other materials could strike employees or members of the public.

The size and location should reflect:

• Tree height.
• Material being removed.
• Cutting method.
• Rigging.
• Terrain.
• Wind.
• Nearby structures.
• Public exposure.

Unauthorized employees and members of the public should be kept outside the controlled area.

Chainsaw Safety

Chainsaws should be inspected and maintained according to manufacturer recommendations.

Employees should be trained in:

• Starting.
• Grip.
• Cutting position.
• Kickback prevention.
• Chain-brake use.
• Fueling.
• Maintenance.
• Carrying and transportation.
• Required PPE.

Employees should maintain control of the saw and position themselves to reduce exposure to the chain and potential kickback.

Chainsaw Use While Aloft

Operating a chainsaw while climbing or working from an aerial lift requires additional planning.

Employees should maintain a stable work position and control the saw before beginning a cut.

Cutting procedures should consider:

• Climbing system.
• Work positioning.
• Falling material.
• Rigging.
• Ground employees.
• Electrical hazards.
• Saw control.

The work area below should be controlled to protect employees from falling material and equipment.

Wood Chipper Safety

Brush and wood chippers can expose employees to entanglement, caught-in, struck-by, and noise hazards.

Before use, employees should verify that required guards, controls, emergency devices, and other safety features are functioning.

Employees should follow established feeding procedures and avoid placing themselves where they could be pulled into the equipment.

Loose clothing, jewelry, climbing equipment, ropes, and other items should be controlled around feed mechanisms.

Stump Grinder Safety

Stump grinders can expose employees to rotating cutting equipment, flying debris, noise, and equipment movement.

Before grinding begins:

• Inspect the equipment.
• Identify underground utilities and other hazards where applicable.
• Establish an appropriate work area.
• Remove unnecessary personnel.
• Use required PPE.
• Position guards and shields.
• Control pedestrian and vehicle access.

Employees should remain clear of moving cutting components.

Brush Chippers and Material Feeding

Brush should be handled and positioned to reduce employee exposure to feed mechanisms, moving branches, and entanglement hazards.

Employees should maintain stable footing and follow the manufacturer’s feeding procedures.

Ropes, climbing lines, clothing, and equipment should be kept away from chipper feed systems.

Tree Rigging

Rigging may be used to control limbs, trunk sections, tops, and other material during tree pruning and removal.

Rigging systems should be selected according to:

• Load.
• Tree condition.
• Rigging point.
• Rope capacity.
• Equipment configuration.
• Dynamic forces.
• Landing area.

Employees should understand the anticipated movement of the load and remain outside hazardous positions.

Rigging Ropes, Blocks and Equipment

Tree-service rigging may include:

• Rigging ropes.
• Slings.
• Blocks.
• Pulleys.
• Friction devices.
• Shackles.
• Carabiners.
• Winches.
• Mechanical advantage systems.

Equipment should be inspected and appropriate for the expected loading.

Life-support climbing equipment should not be used interchangeably with rigging equipment unless specifically designed and approved for the intended use.

Cranes in Tree Removal

Cranes may be used to remove large tree sections or complete trees where conventional removal methods are impractical.

Crane-assisted tree removal requires careful coordination between the crane operator, climber, signal person, ground crew, and other employees.

Planning should address:

• Load weight.
• Crane capacity.
• Rigging.
• Pick points.
• Tree condition.
• Cutting sequence.
• Load path.
• Electrical conductors.
• Ground conditions.
• Employee positioning.

Employees should remain clear of suspended loads.

Suspended Loads

Employees should not unnecessarily work beneath suspended tree sections, equipment, or other loads.

Loads should be controlled to prevent unexpected swinging, rotation, or movement.

Ground employees should understand the anticipated load path and remain outside designated hazardous areas.

Overhead Power Lines

Electrical contact is a critical tree-service hazard.

Before tree work begins, employees should identify overhead conductors and determine whether the work, tree, equipment, tools, or falling material could enter a hazardous area.

Electrical conductors should be treated as energized unless their condition has been appropriately established otherwise.

Employees who are not qualified for applicable electrical work should maintain required separation from energized conductors.

Electrical Hazards and Tree Work

Tree branches, trunks, climbing equipment, aerial devices, cranes, tools, and employees can create pathways for electrical energy.

Work near electrical conductors should be planned according to the employees’ qualifications, the type of work, applicable electrical requirements, and site conditions.

Wet trees and weather conditions can increase electrical hazards.

Line-Clearance Tree Trimming

Line-clearance tree trimming involves specialized electrical hazards and requirements and should not be treated as ordinary tree trimming.

Companies performing this work should establish procedures addressing applicable qualifications, training, minimum approach distances, electrical protective practices, aerial equipment, tools, and emergency procedures.

Companies that do not perform line-clearance tree trimming should not include specialized procedures that imply employees are qualified to perform this work.

Traffic Control and Roadside Tree Work

Tree-service crews frequently work along streets, highways, parking areas, and other locations exposed to moving vehicles.

Work-zone controls may include:

• Advance warning signs.
• Cones.
• Barricades.
• High-visibility apparel.
• Flaggers when appropriate.
• Vehicle positioning.
• Pedestrian routing.

Equipment and debris should be positioned so they do not unnecessarily create additional traffic hazards.

Ground Crew Safety

Ground employees can be exposed to falling material, moving equipment, rigging, chainsaws, chippers, vehicles, and overhead work.

Ground crews should understand:

• Drop zones.
• Escape routes.
• Rigging operations.
• Chipper procedures.
• Communication signals.
• Equipment movement.
• Electrical hazards.

Employees should remain attentive to climbers and work occurring overhead.

Communication Between Climbers and Ground Crews

Tree work requires clear communication between employees working aloft and employees on the ground.

Crews should establish commands or signals for:

• Cutting.
• Rigging.
• Lowering.
• Hoisting.
• Chipper operations.
• Equipment movement.
• Emergencies.

Employees should confirm critical instructions when misunderstanding could create a hazard.

Personal Protective Equipment

Required PPE should be selected according to the hazard assessment and work being performed.

Depending on the task, PPE may include:

• Head protection.
• Eye protection.
• Face protection.
• Hearing protection.
• Gloves.
• Protective footwear.
• High-visibility apparel.
• Chainsaw protective clothing.
• Climbing equipment.
• Respiratory protection.

PPE should be inspected, maintained, and replaced when it is no longer capable of providing the intended protection.

Hearing Conservation

Chainsaws, chippers, stump grinders, blowers, and other tree-care equipment can generate significant noise.

Noise exposure should be evaluated, and appropriate engineering controls, work practices, hearing protection, training, and hearing-conservation measures should be implemented when required.

Hand and Power Tools

Employees may use pole saws, pruners, hedge trimmers, drills, grinders, blowers, and other hand and power tools.

Tools should be:

• Appropriate for the task.
• Inspected before use.
• Properly guarded.
• Maintained.
• Operated according to manufacturer instructions.

Defective tools should be removed from service.

Machine Guarding

Guards and protective devices installed on chippers, grinders, shop equipment, and other machinery should remain in place and functional.

Employees should not bypass or remove guards unless the equipment is appropriately taken out of service for authorized maintenance.

Lockout/Tagout

Employees servicing or maintaining chippers, stump grinders, shop equipment, or other machinery may be exposed to unexpected startup or release of stored energy.

Where applicable, hazardous-energy control procedures should address:

• Shutdown.
• Isolation.
• Lockout/tagout.
• Stored energy.
• Verification.
• Restart.

Employees should be trained according to their responsibilities under the company’s energy-control procedures.

Fueling and Flammable Liquids

Gasoline and other fuels should be stored, transported, and handled using appropriate containers and procedures.

Equipment should be shut down as required before fueling.

Smoking, ignition sources, and hot work should be controlled around flammable liquids.

Spills should be cleaned up promptly using appropriate procedures.

Pesticides and Plant-Health Chemicals

Tree-care companies providing fertilization, pest control, or plant-health services may use pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and other chemicals.

Applicable procedures should address:

• Product labels.
• Safety Data Sheets.
• Employee training.
• PPE.
• Mixing.
• Application.
• Storage.
• Transportation.
• Spill response.

Only employees appropriately trained and authorized for the product and application should perform chemical treatments.

Heat Stress

Tree work can be physically demanding, particularly when employees climb, wear protective equipment, drag brush, or operate equipment during hot weather.

Heat-illness prevention should address:

• Drinking water.
• Rest.
• Acclimatization.
• Shade or cooling.
• Work scheduling.
• Employee monitoring.
• Emergency response.

Supervisors and employees should recognize signs and symptoms of heat illness.

Cold Stress

Cold temperatures, wind, rain, snow, and wet clothing can affect employee health, dexterity, climbing, and equipment operation.

Employees should use appropriate clothing and warming practices and understand the symptoms of cold-related illness.

Severe Weather

Weather can rapidly change the hazards of tree work.

Crews should monitor conditions such as:

• High winds.
• Thunderstorms.
• Lightning.
• Heavy rain.
• Snow.
• Ice.
• Extreme heat.
• Extreme cold.

Work should be suspended when weather makes climbing, aerial-lift operation, tree stability, rigging, electrical exposure, or equipment operation unsafe.

Lightning

Tree climbers and aerial-lift operators can be particularly exposed during thunderstorms.

Crews should monitor approaching storms and allow employees sufficient time to descend or lower aerial devices before conditions become hazardous.

Manual Material Handling

Tree-service employees frequently handle logs, brush, equipment, ropes, tools, and other materials.

Employees should use appropriate lifting techniques and mechanical assistance when practical.

Large or awkward material should be team-lifted or handled with equipment where appropriate.

Driving, Trucks and Trailers

Tree-service operations often involve trucks, chip trucks, trailers, aerial devices, stump grinders, and other towed or mobile equipment.

Procedures should address:

• Driver qualification.
• Vehicle inspection.
• Seat-belt use.
• Backing.
• Trailer connections.
• Load securement.
• Towing.
• Distracted driving.
• Parking.
• Work-zone positioning.

Drivers should account for vehicle size, equipment weight, trailers, and changing loads.

Emergency Response

Tree-service emergencies may involve falls, electrical contact, severe cuts, struck-by injuries, equipment entanglement, traffic incidents, or employees incapacitated while aloft.

Emergency procedures should establish:

• Communication methods.
• Emergency contacts.
• Jobsite location information.
• First-aid responsibilities.
• Rescue procedures.
• Emergency-service access.
• Equipment shutdown.

Employees should know how to summon assistance promptly.

Tree Climber and Aerial Rescue

When employees climb trees or work aloft, emergency planning should consider how an injured or incapacitated employee can be safely reached and brought to the ground.

Rescue planning should consider:

• Tree configuration.
• Climbing system.
• Aerial equipment.
• Electrical hazards.
• Rescue equipment.
• Employee capabilities.
• Emergency medical services.

Employees expected to perform rescue should be appropriately trained for the rescue methods and equipment they may use.

First Aid and CPR

Tree-service crews may work in locations where immediate professional medical assistance is not available.

Appropriate first-aid arrangements should be established according to applicable requirements and job conditions.

First-aid supplies should be readily available, and employees designated to provide first aid or CPR should receive appropriate training.

Tree Service Training

Employees should receive safety training appropriate to their assigned tasks.

Training may include:

• Tree hazard recognition.
• Tree climbing.
• Climbing equipment.
• Fall protection.
• Aerial lifts.
• Chainsaws.
• Chippers.
• Stump grinders.
• Rigging.
• Cranes.
• Electrical hazards.
• Traffic control.
• PPE.
• Hazard Communication.
• Lockout/Tagout.
• Emergency response.

Employees should not perform specialized work until they have received the training and instruction necessary for the task.

Tree Service JSA/JHA

Tree-service JSAs/JHAs can be used to evaluate individual tasks and changing worksite conditions.

Useful JSA/JHA topics may include:

• Tree climbing.
• Tree trimming.
• Tree removal.
• Tree felling.
• Chainsaw operation.
• Wood chipper operation.
• Stump grinding.
• Aerial-lift tree work.
• Tree rigging.
• Crane-assisted tree removal.
• Roadside tree work.
• Work near overhead power lines.

The analysis should reflect the actual tree, worksite, equipment, employees, and conditions.

Additional Safety Programs for Tree Service Companies

Depending on the company’s operations, a Tree Service Safety Manual may also include programs addressing:

• Aerial/Boom Lifts.
• Bloodborne Pathogens.
• Chainsaw Safety.
• Crane Safety.
• Driving and Fleet Safety.
• Electrical Safety.
• Emergency Action Plan.
• Fall Protection.
• Fire Prevention.
• First Aid.
• Flammable and Combustible Liquids.
• Hand and Power Tools.
• Hazard Communication.
• Hearing Conservation.
• Heat Stress Prevention.
• Lockout/Tagout.
• Machine Guarding.
• Manual Lifting and Material Handling.
• Personal Protective Equipment.
• Pesticide Safety.
• Rigging and Material Handling.
• Severe Weather.
• Traffic Control.
• Wood Chipper Safety.
• Working Alone.

Programs should be selected according to actual services, equipment, and employee exposures.

Customer and Property Protection

Tree-service operations may be performed around homes, businesses, streets, parking lots, utility systems, and occupied properties.

Before work begins, crews should consider:

• People.
• Vehicles.
• Buildings.
• Fences.
• Landscaping.
• Utilities.
• Pedestrian routes.
• Neighboring property.

Work areas should be controlled so employees can perform tree operations without unnecessarily exposing customers, pedestrians, or other members of the public to hazards.

Tree Service Toolbox Talks

Short safety meetings can reinforce hazards associated with current work.

Useful tree-service toolbox-talk topics include:

• Chainsaw safety.
• Drop zones.
• Chipper safety.
• Tree climbing.
• Climbing-equipment inspection.
• Rigging.
• Electrical hazards.
• Aerial lifts.
• Heat stress.
• Traffic control.
• PPE.
• Emergency rescue.

Toolbox talks supplement required employee training but should not be used as a substitute for task-specific or regulatory training where such training is required.

Building a Tree Service Safety Manual

A useful Tree Service Safety Manual should be based on the services the company actually performs.

Consider whether employees:

• Climb trees.
• Operate chainsaws.
• Use wood chippers.
• Operate stump grinders.
• Use aerial lifts.
• Perform tree removal.
• Fell trees.
• Rig tree sections.
• Use cranes.
• Work along roads.
• Work near overhead electrical conductors.
• Apply pesticides or other chemicals.
• Maintain machinery.
• Tow equipment.
• Perform line-clearance work.

The answers determine which safety programs should be included.

A small pruning company should not receive a manual filled with procedures for equipment and operations it never performs, while a full-service tree-removal contractor should have written procedures addressing its more complex climbing, rigging, equipment, electrical, and emergency-rescue hazards.

Customized Tree Service Safety Manuals

Tree service companies can request a customized Tree Service Safety Manual containing safety programs selected according to their actual services, equipment, and employee exposures.

The manual can be developed for companies performing tree trimming, pruning, climbing, tree removal, stump grinding, chipping, aerial-lift operations, rigging, crane-assisted removal, plant health care, and related arboricultural operations.

Individual safety programs can also be selected when a tree service company needs to add or update a particular program within an existing safety manual.