Been made safety man.......

[Rygel]

Ok- so I'm going to be "the Safety Guy" for our company. We are a small 12-14 man crew doing powerline tree services for our local power company. They have never really had a safety guy before and only doing "tailgate" meetings when our parent company forces it during saftey week. We have done bucket rescue and stuff like that but nothing on minor issues.
I guess what I'm really asking is , is there any books specificaly for tree service safety? Any Idea would be helpful ! I've searched the site alittle but seen nothing on dedicated to this.
I'm gonna use some of the injury forums for some of the topics and try to find pictures so some of our -um not so bright guys can get the idea sometimes!
I'm sure that a few replies would keep me able to do a month or two of topics due to them never really having anything like this before! Thanks!

 

[vharrison2]

The ISA has a wealth of information.

https://secure.isa-arbor.com/store/

Good luck in your new postition.

 

[jp hallman]

I think you have this "safety man" thing all wrong. Isn't the safety guy the one that brings the beer and chips?

 

[clearance]

Rygel-good for you. I am a line clearance hack from B.C.. Here is my rating sytem for powerline work. #1 and always #1 you and your crew #2 the public and other humans #3 the powerline and electrical equipment #4 the trees. Always put yourself and your crew first, never spurless climb around power and never do half a job on bad tree, saw it down. People want to save compromised trees all the time, but if it is above the line and going to get worse over time it needs to be cut down, by leaving it you are just making the situation worse. It pays to talk to the public before work on or near thier propery, if you explain what you want to do emphasizing the danger and safety angle usualythey will let you do more. Like drive the boom truck on thier lawn, pulling trees over full length onto thier property instead of piecing them down. Try to do what is easier and safest for the crew above other peoples ideas or concerns. Utility work can be a thankless task, some of the public will dislike you, some arborists will dislike you (like on this site), no matter, as long as you guys make it home every day it's all good.

 

[treeseer]

Rygel, you can join here http://www.utilityarborist.org/

Also contact http://www.tcia.org/Public/meetings_ehap_seminars.htm to apply for training to come to your crew!

Utility work can be safely done without wearing spurs to prune trees or cutting down every "bad" tree that you see. But you probably knew that already.

 

[Tree Wizard]

You need two things immediately: the ANSI Z133 Safety Standards for Arboricultural Operations and the TCIA (Tree Care Industry Association) Model Company Safety Program. You can purchase both from www.TCIA.org.

I find it hard to believe that you work for a company that does power line tree trimming and no one knows anything about safety. You need the Z133 if for nothing more than to learn the difference between a tree trimmer and a line clearance tree trimmer. Your company sounds ripe for huge OSHA fines.

 

[clearance]

Treeseer, talking about what you don't know about- utility work. Kind of like a city arborist that can't climb or run a saw telling a competent treeguy what to do and how to do it. You are not a utility worker, you are not educated by an authority (the I.S.A. utilty b.s. doesn't mean anything) you don't understand what limits of approach mean. This spurless climbing around power has come up here before, I have explained why it is wrong a few times. And yes, bad trees need to be cut down, before they put the power out and maybe kill someone. Really, lets hear from the utility guys out there, not the res. climbers. My #1,2,3,4 priority system is beyond reproach, that is the hallmark of any decent utility work.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Really, lets hear from the utility guys out there, not the res. climbers. My #1,2,3,4 priority system is beyond reproach, that is the hallmark of any decent utility work.

I know some excellent certified arborists who do residential, but also do utility work, or started their carreer in utility and now do residential work.

My preference is to hear from people who are competent.

 

[Big A]

I started out in utility arb, line clearance. The company I worked for insisted on correct pruning techniques at all times, it was other companies who were less scrupulous who hacked their way around the area. needless to say , the company I worked for dropped the Utility work for fear of getting a bad name and went on to specialise in quality, private arb work. Its these standards which I try to live to every day, whatever kind of job I'm on. I carry out woodland thinning work, arb work, orchard pruning, in fact anything to do with trees, and I think that you can learn something new from each sector. i get :censored: off when people feel it necessary to run down others simply cos they only do one kind of tree work and prefer to keep their blinkers on to what goes on around them. One thing I agree with is that safety should be no.1 whatever your speciality, and dont compromise!!

 

[tophopper]

Treeseer, talking about what you don't know about- utility work. Kind of like a city arborist that can't climb or run a saw telling a competent treeguy what to do and how to do it. You are not a utility worker, you are not educated by an authority (the I.S.A. utilty b.s. doesn't mean anything) you don't understand what limits of approach mean. This spurless climbing around power has come up here before, I have explained why it is wrong a few times. And yes, bad trees need to be cut down, before they put the power out and maybe kill someone. Really, lets hear from the utility guys out there, not the res. climbers. My #1,2,3,4 priority system is beyond reproach, that is the hallmark of any decent utility work.

Here we go again

 

[stihlatit]

Congrats Rygel in your new position. You hold in your hand the tools to educate your crew and resist the forces of management when it becomes an issue of safety. Be vigilant and goodluck to your and your crews future.

Arnie

 

[Komitet]

I've been doing utility clearing, (hydro) for 10 years now, and have never used spurs in doing so, unless it's a removal. shouldn't need spurs if you're setting your ropes and using your lanyards correctly.

And yes, I'm one of those don't spur live trees guys.

 

[tophopper]

I've been doing utility clearing, (hydro) for 10 years now, and have never used spurs in doing so, unless it's a removal. shouldn't need spurs if you're setting your ropes and using your lanyards correctly.

And yes, I'm one of those don't spur live trees guys.

Well, you and clearance should get into it.
According to him, utility work is not possible without spurs.

 

[clearance]

O.K. I'll take the bait. Komitet, you have a conifer thats trunk is 5ft from a 25kv. line, contract says 5m (16ft) top clearance is to be maintained, no branches on it until the ones that have to be removed (of course the ones above and overhanging the line). Being a utility guy you know that 4ft is your personal limit and 1.5ft is the limit with a tested tool. There are no other trees to tie into, no bucket access. My question is, how are you going to get up there and saw the branches off without violating your limits? And remember violating your limits of approach can result in being suspended and possibly losing your authorisation to work on that power system. Please don't say you are going to set your rope with a tested pole pruner that has 5 extensions. Suprise me.

 

[tophopper]

how bout a throwbag and rope?



Is this where you tell me that it wont work?

 

[treeseer]

i've had 3 yrs utility experience, I think tophopper has a point, and Komitet sounds like one of many utility guys who is also a tree care professional. Putting trees #4 does not mean that you should abuse them for no reason, or ignore efficient ways of providing clearance while caring for trees.

 

[Komitet]

ever heard of bear hugging? sure it's a ?????, but my contract also states no spurs, and yes, I would use 5 extensions, and put my rope in on the backside from the lines, I would then use a pole pruner to take the branches back as much as possible, making small enough cuts so I don't arc the wires.

 

[Treeblitzer]

Sometimes like it or not you have to spur.I been doing Line Clearance for about 25yrs. there are certain times you have to spur.When you work in the mountains and when the Utility says its ok then do it.The only thing that I spur is big river bottom cottys anymore,where the 1st. branch maybe 40-50 ft. up. There is always other ways to get in the tree with out spurs. And really get tired of all those people that think the only thing Line Clearance guys are hacks.I work 40hrs. a wk. doing lines ,about the same after work and weekends doing custom work. I would get out of the lines but the health ins. and other benes are good.

 

[clearance]

Tophopper, you took the bait. Like I said, 4ft. is your personal limit and 1.5ft. is the tested tool limit. You cannot violate those limits, it is an infraction under both the compensation board rules and the power company rules. I have seen an I.S.A. certified guy use a throwbag, he was pretty good with it, impressed me. Even so, are you so good that you can gaurantee it won't touch the line when you have to throw it higher than the line to set it? Actually won't come within 4ft of the line? Don't go off about the throwbag string being non-conductive, it isn't, and even if it was tested it can never be closer than 1.5ft. I guess you would be calling up the lineman to come and untangle your little string from the line. When he saw what you had done and found out that you were not utility certified you and the company you work for would be up the creek without a paddle. C'mon buddy just admit you are out of your league and give up.

 

[clearance]

Komitet, hi, didn't see your post till after I posted. What the is bear hug? Please explain. Sounds like freeclimbing. Them old yellow Jamison sticks get a little crazy when you have four of them snapped together, never seen five hooked up. Me and buddy used to share a Jamison with three poles on the last r.o.w. I did. Kind of a p.i.t.a. to hike back to the truck for more sticks. Personally on my point of tie in I always have the rope go over the branch and around the tree, not just around the branch, bad practice. It was just a little single 12kv in the bush, we were using it to bust stuff from other trees we were in, pull, pull, pull, SNAP. Very hack, next tree. Treeblitz, it used bother me that some arborists think of utility guys as hacks but when you do utility, you are the man. Most res. guys just don't understand it, couldn't do it.