2. What to do…
Read over the guides and notes.
Complete the activities:
Visual Assessment
Identifying the Dangers
Assessing the Site
True or False
Multiple Choice
3. Safe Climbing Guide
Always thoroughly assess the tree, never make assumptions
It starts at the ground and continues with climbing
Never get off the ropes, not even for a second
Always wear safety gear
Helmet safety glasses, harness, ropes
Do NOT wear leg spikes
Respect nesting animals by leaving them be
Stay away from power lines
Climbing should not be done under dangerous weather conditions
No climbing or cutting in ice or snow
4. Inspecting a Tree Before the Climb
Look for hazards and potential dangers
Four distinct assessment zones
Zone 1: Wide angle view
Looking for powerlines, split branches, tree’s lean
Zone 2: On the ground
Examine the soil and roots
Cracked soil , dead branches lying around, anchored roots, and fungus spell DANGER
Zone 3: Trunk
Look for missing bark or excessive lean
Can indicate tree rot or a tree about to fall
Zone 4: Crown
Dead branches toward the bottom are normal
Dead branches toward the top indicate a risk
5. Removing Dangers
Dangers
Electrical lines pose a major threat to
tree climbers
Cutting or even pruning too close can
be fatal
Risk of electrocution or fire
“Widow Makers” are branches
hanging from or lodged in a tree
Often caused by lightening strike
Can dislodged and fatally strike
climber/crew members, hence the
name
Removal
Contact the electric company
Have the wires de-energized and
lowered
Remove all dead or dislocated
branches before climbing and
entering the tree to do any further
work
6. Visual Assessment
Look at each tree and determine which tree(s) are safe to climb based off of visual
appearance.
(A) (B) (C) (D)
7. Identify the Hazard and List the Dangers
What is the hazard?
What are the danger(s)?
9. True or False
The best thing to do if you see a nesting animal is to relocate the entire nest?
It is alright to cut near power lines as long as you aren’t cutting the wire?
Assessment should be done before climbing?
A professional climber will have a sturdy pair of boots and leg spikes?
It is ok to leave the rope for a few minutes?
10. Multiple Choice
How many assessment zones are there?
(4) (6) (5) (3)
What shouldn’t a climber wear?
(helmet) (leg spikes) (safety glasses) (harness)
Which is not a major hazard?
(Electric wires) (dead branches at the top of the crown)
(dead branches at the bottom of the crown) (anchoring branches)
“Widow Makers” are?
(lonely branches) (branches lodged in a tree) (dying trees) (safe trees to climb)
In what weather conditions is it safe to climb?
(snow but no ice) (icy, but treated)
(in the rain, no lightening) (none of these conditions are safe to climb in)
11. Answer Key: Visual Assessment
The only tree that appears safe to climb by visual assessment is (C)
What is wrong with the rest :
Tree (A) has fungal growth which may mean that there root decay or tree rot
Tree (B) has a lot of dead branches indicating the tree is dying and the limbs aren’t
safe/sturdy for climbing
Tree (D) has anchoring roots and there is a risk the tree is could uproot and fall
12. Answer Key
Identify the Hazard
Answer: The electrical wires are a
hazard
Answer: The dangers are fire and
electrocution causing serious or
fatal injuries
Assessing the Jobsite
Answer: The lodged branch and
dead branches must be removed
before climbing and entering the
tree
13. Answer Key
True or False
False, nesting animals should be
left alone as they may attack
False, fatal injuries can occur near
power injuries from the branch
touching them
True
False, leg spikes damage the tree
making it vulnerable to fungus and
bacteria
False, never leave the rope not
even for a few seconds
Multiple Choice
4
Leg spikes
Dead branches at the bottom of
the crown (this could simply be
because lack of sunlight, and
doesn’t indicate the entire tree is
dying)
Branches lodged in a tree
None of these conditions are safe
to climb in
14. References
Tree Climbers International Inc. (2017). Safety guidelines. Retrieved from:
http://treeclimbing.com/index.php/climbing/rules
Tree Climbers International Inc. (2017). Tree Inspection. Retrieved from:
http://treeclimbing.com/index.php/choosing-a-tree/inspection?showall=&start=1
Editor's Notes
These are things that a safe climber needs to know. Before climbing they need to inspect the tree looking for any threats or danger. They should never assume a tree is safe or wait until they are climbing. Assessment should continue as they climb, as some things may not be visible from the ground. A climber should never get off the ropes. A few seconds off rope protection to move around an obstacle in a tree could be fatal (Tree Climbers International Inc, 2017). The climber, and all tree crew members need to wear safety gear always, with there being no exceptions. No gear, no climbing. The necessary gear for safe climbing is a helmet to protect the head from falling branches, safety glasses, a harness, and ropes. Leg spikes are often thought to be gear as they assist in grabbing and climbing, but they are harmful to the tree and should not be worn. These spikes can cause scarring and lead the tree vulnerable to attack by fungus or bacteria. If the climber comes across a nesting animal, and at some point, they will as trees are home to many creatures, they need to respect the animal and leave their nest be. Do not try to pick up the animal or move the nest, as they will see you as a threat and attack. Power lines are dangerous even if the wire isn’t directly cut. Do not cut near powerlines. Climbing should also be avoided in hazardous weather such as ice, snow, rain, and lightening. Sometimes it is even best to avoid climbing for days after such events as they can still be wet or slick putting the climber at risk for slipping or falling.
Whenever arriving to a job site, a risk assessment needs to be completed. One of the things the climber is going to be looking at is the tree itself. Never assume a tree is safe, start climbing a tree, or entering it without completing an assessment. There are four distinct assessment “zones” to look at before you climb a tree (Tree Climbers International Inc, 2017). Zone 1, is the wide-angle view where the climber needs to take a step back and look at the tree from a distance. Here they can see things like the tree’s lean or electrical wires that present dangers when climbing. Zone 2, is on the ground. Here everything at the base of the tree from the surrounding soil to the roots is assessed. Things like anchoring roots or cracked soil indicate the tree may be about to uproot and could fall. Fungus around the tree, especially at the base is a sign of root decay and tree rot which means the tree is not grounded or could fall. Zone 3, is the trunk. The trunk or stem of the tree is the main supporting structure that holds up the branches (Tree Climbers International Inc, 2017). Things like an excessive lean or missing bark could suggest a falling or dying tree. Zone 4, is the crown. Here the climber is looking up at the branches and leaves, looking for dead branches. Dead branches at the top of the crown is a warning that the tree may be dying, where dead branches at the bottom isn’t as major of a threat as this is likely due to sunlight being unable to reach this area especially if the crown is larger and thicker.
There are many dangers involved with taking down a tree. The climber and crew need to be aware of such dangers as they can cause serious injuries or death. These dangers need to be removed in for the crew to work safely. Electrical lines near trees present spell danger. Cutting near these lines can lead to electrocution or fire, without even touching the line. To take a tree down safely that is close to electric wires, the lines must first be deenergized and lowered by the electric company. “Widow makers” are another removable danger. They are branches that are hanging or become lodged in a tree, usually caused by lightening strikes. They can become lose and fatally strike or seriously injure the works, hence how they got their name. All dead or dislocated branches need to be removed before climbing or proceeding with tree work.
