Hi,

If you please? As tree people we all know how dangerous our work is but many outside this line of work do not. I am trying to put together an article aimed at this subject. I am not a writer and this is new to me. I ask that if anyone knows of web sites I may find injury statistics based on; falls, power tools, tree equipment or climbers to please let me know.
Thank you, Pete out.

Reply to post by PrimitivePete, on May 12, 2002 at 18:08:01:

Hi Pete, I am not sure that our "job" or line of work is particularly dangerous. Providing safety equipment and practices are employed by everyone on the job all the time, I believe our work is relatively "safe".
I would agree though, that this line of work does offer plenty of opportunities to get injured.

James.

Reply to post by James Causton, on May 12, 2002 at 18:08:01:

Yes James, as a well trained climber that fallows safety practices I do feel safe. Yet every year climbers have accedents that cost them dearly. The tools we use and the nature of the job lends to an accedent being more than minnor and they do happen. My point is that an untrained person can find not only have they bitten off more then they can chew, they are likly to be bitten as well.

Pete out.

Reply to post by PrimitivePete, on May 12, 2002 at 18:24:55:

Well Pete I wonder about the purpose of such a story and the audience as well. Why write it? Who would want to read it? Surely not I, no offense.
maybe OSHA or ANSI keep up with industry statistics but I only know of my own: 5 major incidents in 37 years of climbing, one fatality and several permanent injuries witnessed.
Every single one of the above had carelessness as the major factor. Many professions have physical risk. The story imo is not in the bad results but the good--why not write about something positive?

Reply to post by Guy, on May 12, 2002 at 19:15:20:

Tim Walsh at the NAA is copiling the OSHA injury/fatality data, there is a university study going on on the subject, cannot remember the lead on that though. Tim can tell you.

Reply to post by PrimitivePete, on May 12, 2002 at 18:24:55:

Pete, if we all start talking about accidents and risks and hazards we are propagating an old myth. A number of other "tree service" companies around here openly advertize "hazardous tree removal". We advertize "safe tree removal".

James.

Reply to post by Guy, on May 12, 2002 at 19:15:20:

As any writer will tell you, the first thing you do is to determine the audience. Who are you writing to? As Guy suggested, the folks out there doing this stuff day to day aren't going to be as interested (unless you want to show how good a job the safe ones are really doing). The safe ones have heard it or know it, the others are not likely to read it.

It strikes me as an article that might be good for the general public- maybe a garden club newsletter or the likes. far and away the greatest number of injuries are to people with no training at all. Laypersons are injured at several times the rate of experienced workers.

For stats, I suggest you contact your insurance provider. They are the ones who have the stats, since it is their business to know who they are insuring. It may take some digging to get it all, but the information is there.

Good luck. Let us know when you are finally published.

Reply to post by jps, on May 12, 2002 at 21:57:38:

Just in the last 6 weeks,in the PNW, three climbers have taken major falls from trees. (Maybe more, that's just what I've heard of) Two on the same crew within two weeks! The company is Evergreen Tree Service, they telemarket, overcharge, sell unnecessary work to unsuspecting folks, pressure workers to put out huge amounts of work, and expect untrained climbers to perform.