Safety in the Tree Care Industry

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vddHbbCCUC0]

Providing tree care is no laughing matter. This week a man was killed near Thorndale when a tree he was cutting down fell on him. The risks are real. People in the tree care industry are at risk of injury or death due to falls, electrocution, and contact with objects. Those objects include whole trees, tree trunks, branches, as well equipment such as vehicles, chippers, chainsaws, and other tools of the job. Injuries, and even death, can also occur due to bee or wasp stings (allergic reactions) and interaction with angry neighbours (they tote guns in the US). While the table below comes from the CDC website, Canadian statistics tell a similar story.

TABLE 2. Number and percentage of occupational injury deaths associated with tree care operations, by event circumstances — United States, 1992–2007
Circumstance	No.	%
Total*	1,285	100
Injury event†
Contact with objects and equipment	595	46
Struck by or against	546	42
Caught in, compressed, or crushed	49	4
Falls	441	34
To lower level	434	34
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	180	14
Contact with electric current	174	14
Transportation accidents	65	5
Highway accident	—§	—
Nonhighway accident	34	3
Pedestrian	27	2
Other/Nonclassifiable	—	—
Primary injury source†
Machinery	88	7
Chippers	38	3
Parts and materials	103	8
Power lines	79	6
Persons, plants, animals, and minerals	548	43
Trees and logs	540	42
Structures and surfaces	418	33
Floor or ground	406	32
Tools or equipment	63	5
Powered hand tools	24	2
Vehicles	56	4
Highway vehicle	33	3
Other sources	9	1
Activity¶
Trimming/Pruning	569	44
Felling	300	23
Clearing/Removing	114	9
Operating machinery	81	6
Topping	39	3
Not specified	182	14
SOURCE: Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 1992–2007.

At CLC Tree Services we take our health and safety seriously. We have been in business for over 25 years and aim to be here a little longer. The only way to do that is by exercising safe practices.

CLC Tree Services carries both Liability Insurance and coverage under Workplace Safety and Insurance Board for all our employees. All our work practices comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, as well as the Ontario Arborist Industry Safe Work Practices. On a regular basis, we conduct safety meetings and look for ways to continue to train our employees through the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association. That includes CPR and first aid training.

The training and safety measures that CLC Tree Services has in place greatly reduces the risks to our employees. We work within a team and are vigilant about their security. We don’t want to see anyone get hurt. But accidents happen.

Our condolences to Garnett Smith’s family this week. You are a reminder that our industry isn’t forgiving to those who are injured and that safety should always first. RIP