Multiple rigging systems are required to safely lower an injured worker to the ground.
“The big gaps come because companies grow so fast that they don’t take time to invest in the simple training of their team,” says LeVangie, adding that she advocates for regular training so that the techniques become routine. “If you practice a rescue monthly, it becomes a habit.” There’s also value in bringing in third-party trainers, because they spot things and offer insight that tree care companies only training internally might not have considered. “It opens your worldview to a lot of oth- er things you might not have thought about,” she says. OSHA’S NEW REGULATIONS There are no mandated safety protocols specific to the tree care industry, except those working around utility lines and logging. Z133, while voluntary, carries the force of law when OSHA cannot find language in its own standards. According to Carpenter, there’s a void between utility work and logging, which most tree care companies or any- one who engages in some level of tree care, fall into.
new regulatory standard to address the tree care industry. “This standard is because the tree care industry has been identified and is now on public record,” Carpenter says. “We have 30 times [more] than the national average fatality rate.” According to OSHA’s initial analysis , some of the industry’s most common is- sues will be addressed with the new stan- dard, including the lack of timely rescue, chainsaw incidents, and electrocution. The process to kick off OSHA’s new standard began in 2006, indicating the extensive undertaking involved in implementing such measures. The preliminary analysis was published in March 2020, and the standard is ex- pected to be published in late 2024 or early 2025 before undergoing a public review period, according to Carpenter. STRIVING FOR SAFETY It’s easy to get started in the tree care industry. All that’s really needed is a chainsaw and a pickup truck. This low barrier to entry makes it a desirable field for someone looking to start their own business or make money on the side. But the risk of injury, or worse, is ever-present.
While safety regulations and discus- sions have not always been at the forefront, the tide is turning. Owners like Ben Martin of R&B Trees are see- ing more interest and investment in safety. “Specialty training, like aerial, is com- ing along,” Martin says. “The commu- nity wants it. But it is lacking.” Martin recently partnered with Sulli- van to host an aerial rescue training event in Oklahoma City that attracted local climbers and several from out of state. He hopes to see it grow into a multi-day event with vendors and addi- tional classes. Most importantly, safety topics are dis- cussed more oen. When an incident happens, it becomes a learning oppor- tunity instead of being swept under the rug and le unaddressed. For LeVang- ie, that makes all the difference. “The most important thing is to be transparent and talk about it right away. And to keep an open dialogue about it,” she says. “Because what happens is it creates a place of safety, where people feel open and heard. So, they can con- tinue to talk about it and learn from it and then grow as a company.”
OSHA is in the process of reviewing a
12 | ArborTIMES Summer 2024
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