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Tuesday, March 19, 2024
March 19, 2024

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Going out on a limb safely with workshop

State plans classes to help those in tree-care industry reduce worker injuries, save on insurance

By , Columbian Business Editor
Published:

Alarmed at the high injury rate in the tree-care business, the state Department of Labor & Industries has launched a round of safety workshops for tree-care professionals across the state, including one next month in Vancouver.

The local “Tree Care and Pruning Industry Conference” is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 10 at the Vancouver L&I office, 312 S.E. Stonemill Drive, Suite 120. The half-day event for tree-care professionals will cover the most common causes of injuries and how to avoid them, ways to get free help with accident prevention and safety, reimbursement for the costs of light-duty work for injured workers, and other topics.

The state agency launched the workshop after its actuaries noticed that the claim costs in the tree-care industry were much higher than those of other workers in the broad employment category of excavation and land clearing, said Roseann Collins, employer services outreach supervisor with the L&I Workers’ Compensation Program. The department conducted a study which found that claims were more than twice as high as the category as a whole.

The state received reports of nearly 250 worker injuries in 2013, in an industry with just 500 businesses, she said. The most common injuries are the result of workers being struck by tree parts or falling from trees, the state found.

Following the study, L&I moved the tree-care and pruning industry into its own risk pool, effective Jan. 1 of this year. It also made a push to work with the industry to increase safety and reduce injuries to protect workers and perhaps contribute to a reduction in insurance costs.

There is no requirement for industry-specific licensing or safety training in order to work in the tree-care industry, Collins said, and her agency has no information on how many of the injured workers were following required safety procedures. She said the state has found that many people have entered the profession as part of a family business and have not received much training on safety practices. L&I wants to make those in tree-care businesses aware that it offers free resources and safety consultations, and that businesses can receive those services without fear of being cited for safety violations or lack of compliance with state rules.

Conference registration is available online at www.Lni.wa.gov/Workshops. Get more information by calling 360-902-4599.

Arborists discuss tree-climbing methods in Esther Short Park as part of the Pacific Northwest International Society of Arboriculture conference at the Hilton Vancouver Washington.
Arborists discuss tree-climbing methods in Esther Short Park as part of the Pacific Northwest International Society of Arboriculture conference at the Hilton Vancouver Washington. Photo
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Columbian Business Editor