A Look at Safety Gear for Arborists

Arborists were minimalist when it came to safety gear a few years ago

In days long ago, arborists headed off to work in no more than their hat and suspenders, but in today’s world a few more items are necessary. Tree care can be a challenging line of work and safety equipment is key in keeping arborists safe on the job. There aren’t many folks who sport suspenders anymore, but they make up for it in all the safety gear they wear.

Did you know an average saddle weighs at least 20 lbs? That’s before you attach your chainsaw too…

You can’t miss Calvin and Curt in their orange CLC Tree Services shirts

Safety starts long before the truck leaves the yard. The first thing the CLC Tree Services crew puts on in the morning are their bright orange shirts. It’s hard to miss the blast of orange when they are tucked high in a leafy green tree or found deep in a dim forest. Plus, this year’s newest shirts sport a reflective X across the back and a band that runs around the middle.

There is plenty more gear than that though. From carabiners to ropes and helmets to harnesses, the gear adds up; both for safety’s sake and dollar wise.

From sunscreen to throw bags, safety is taken seriously in the arboriculture industry

People who work in the tree services industry need to think about protecting;

• their eyes – safety glasses
• their heads – helmets
• their skin – sunscreen, insect repellent, long pants
• their feet – work boots
• their hands – work gloves, climbing gloves
• their ears – ear muffs & plugs

And that is before they even fire up a chainsaw.

When it comes to rope, you can never have too much

Throwlines help get rope into hard-to-reach areas, thereby saving an arborist difficult maneuvering.

Ropes come in handy in all aspects of tree care. Colour is just one choice when it comes to availability. There are rigging lines, tree climbing ropes, cordage, and they all come in different lengths, diameters and flexibility. Whether you are climbing or using it to manipulate trees into or out of position, rope is one of the most essential items of gear needed for arborists today.

For those who climb up into trees, a harness or saddle are mandatory safety gear as well. Not only do they come with gear loops and leg straps, but comfort and sizing needs to be taken into consideration when choosing equipment that just might save your life as you dangle 80′ in the air.

These colourful carabiners and lanyards are essential to tree services

There are smaller accessories that are just as important though. A good carabiner not only holds your gear and you, but comes in a wide range of sizes and colours. Lanyards are plenty colourful too, plus help to create second points of attachments or help to keep you in place in a tree. Pulleys can get gear into the tree, help with your rigging and are another essential tool for the job. As are splicing tools and pocket knives, to name a few other tools.

These are all tools to keep arborists a little safer on the job. While rope might cost you up to $500 for a top of the line product, when you consider it is protecting a life, plus the happiness of their family, friends and co-workers, it is well worth it. And it sure beats relying on suspenders, don’t you think?

CLC takes safety seriously. Here’s our newest addition to our gear from the recent Aerial Rescue Training