Sprains, Strains, and Falls

Building a Safety Culture That Protects Arborists at Every Level

Falls from heights and chainsaw accidents often dominate safety conversations in the tree care industry. These incidents are dramatic, sometimes catastrophic, and they rightfully demand attention. Yet focusing only on the big, headline-making accidents overlooks the equally damaging injuries that happen quietly every day. Twisted ankles, strained shoulders, and overexerted backs may not seem as severe in the moment, but they accumulate over time—costing workers their health and companies their productivity.

The truth is, safety in arboriculture is not a matter of choosing which type of injury to prioritize. It is about recognizing that both the obvious and the overlooked can be career-ending if ignored. By giving equal weight to the prevention of catastrophic falls and everyday sprains, the industry can build a safety culture that truly protects arborists — on the ground, in the canopy, and everywhere in between.

Minor Injuries, Major Consequences

“The most common injuries in our industry aren’t the ones you read about — they’re sprains, strains, and pulls,” said Bill Burley, founder of Heli-Ax.

These seemingly “minor” injuries accumulate, often causing more impact down the line for tree care workers; quietly costing individuals and companies time and productivity. Left underreported and untreated, these injuries can turn into chronic conditions that shorten careers and affect company performance.

This then spurs the conversation around safety in arboriculture. It is not just about avoiding major accidents — rather, it is about preventing the trivial: slips, trips, repetitive strains, and falls. By focusing on both types, the industry can build a safety culture that protects arborists on and off the ground.

Slips and Trips

On any jobsite, debris, uneven terrain, and fatigue create opportunities for slips and trips. Simple as they may seem, these incidents account for more claims and lost workdays than nearly any other injury.

Jamie Chambrelli, safety manager with SavATree, noted that most worker’s compensation claims stem from “fall to the same level” incidents such as tripping over brush, slipping on sawdust, or stepping into holes.

“Slips and trips can be anything from bad footing, poor tread on boots, or jumping fences to save time,” Chambrelli said. “They sound small, but they account for the largest portion of claims.”

Burley added that the impact of slips and trips is underestimated. Companies often underreport these injuries to avoid insurance complications. And, as a result, sprains and strains remain hidden, making it harder to address them systematically.

Bear LeVangie, executive director, lead instructor, and co-founder/owner of Women’s Tree Care Climbing Workshop^™ (WTCW), explained that fatigue plays a major role in accidents on the job.

“So many injuries happen when people are tired,” she said. “Crews working long hours may rush through cleanup leaving logs, tools, or other debris on the ground. At the end of a long day, these seemingly harmless hazards can be the cause of a twisted ankle — or worse.”

ANSI Z133, the foundational safety standard for arboriculture, reinforces the importance of readiness and certain protocols. Chapter 3 (General Safety Requirements) requires job sites to maintain accessible first aid kits, enforce communication protocols, and emergency readiness.

As the 2026 revision approaches, with updates for training and utility work, these standards will only become more robust.

Falls to a Lower Level

Slips may lead to sprains, but falls from ladders, trucks, and aerial lifts often result in broken bones or long-term musculoskeletal injuries. Chambrelli emphasized that most of these falls trace back to preventable human errors.

“Falls to a lower level usually mean falls from trucks, ladders, or aerial lifts,” Chambrelli explained. “The truth is, most of them come down to human error — not clipping in, overreaching on a ladder, or neglecting to inspect steps and platforms.”

LeVangie pointed out that overconfidence with equipment contributes to many of these accidents. Workers assume gear will protect them, but when it’s overloaded or misused, failure often occurs.

“Anytime we can reduce our body’s power and let equipment do the work, injuries go down,” she said. “But often, people overload gear or ignore manufacturer’s instructions, and that’s when incidents happen.”

Shock Load & Whiplash

Climbing accidents are not always due to falls. Often, they involve sudden jolts or swings that strain the spine.

“When a climber slips off a limb and takes a swing into the trunk, that’s where we see whiplash and impact injuries. Neck, back, even obliques are affected, depending on how they land,” said Chambrelli.

LeVangie added that whiplash can occur during everyday tasks, like bumping a helmet against a branch or truck door, snapping the neck back. Symptoms of this injury may not appear until hours or even days later, when stiffness and pain set in.

To mitigate climbing risks, climbers must understand their rope. Rope stretch can absorb energy and reduce shock loads, but only when used correctly.

“If you don’t know how much stretch your rope should have for the job, you’re setting up a shock load that could injure your climber,” warned Burley.

ANSI Z133, Chapter 8, offers guidance in its climbing section. It calls for three points of contact, proper work positioning, and awareness of rope elongation (stretch). These requirements significantly reduce the risk of spinal injury, which helps absorb shock loads.

To further support this, OSHA states that ANSI Z133-2017 specifies that climbing ropes must not exceed 7% elongation under a 540-lb load, ensuring that predictable stretch without failure.

Rigging choices and rope selection also play a major role in preventing shock loads. Chambrelli noted that stem work, in particular, creates conditions for injury. Climbers handle the biggest saws and heaviest rigging under fatigue, often forcing awkward positions that lead to musculoskeletal strain.

“Most incidents aren’t from equipment failure,” said LeVangie. “They’re from human error. People often overload pulleys or ropes because they feel invincible with the gear.”

These mistakes can’t be avoided by gear strength alone. Even when ropes meet ANSI minimum standards (Chapter 8, Climbing), arborists must match rope choice to the task and anticipate its abilities under load.

Chainsaw Safety and Clip-In Discipline

Chainsaw work is among the most dangerous tasks an arborist performs on the job, according to Burley.

“You’re holding a machine that can cut through a tree in seconds,” he said. “It demands your full focus and respect. Rushing or cutting corners is when mistakes and injuries happen.”

He advocates for arborists and companies to instill safe habits through repetition, proper standards, and training so that tie-ins and two-handed grip become second nature.

The ANSI Z133, Chapter 6 (Chainsaws, section 6.3.6) requires climbers to tie in twice while using a saw. The 2026 revision goes further, promoting two-handed operation and updated training for those working near utilities.

Beyond tie-ins, clip-in discipline extends to pre-use inspection of lanyards and harnesses, proper saw handling, and ensuring the work position is stable before the cut begins. Crews should normalize stopping the job if positioning isn’t safe, even if it costs a few extra minutes.

“The golden rule in tree climbing is always to get the best position for the work,” Chambrelli said. “Bad positioning, fatigue, and rushing are behind most of the injuries we see.”

When injuries do happen, preparedness can make the difference between quick recovery and long-term damage. LeVangie emphasized that every crew should carry basic first aid supplies. This includes slings, triangular bandages, finger splints, and even neck braces. These tools allow crews to stabilize sprains, dislocations, and whiplash injuries until professional emergency personnel arrive.

“Digit injuries, sprains, and hernias are common,” Chambrelli explained. “If you’re not prepared to stabilize a worker in the field, you’re putting them at further risk.”

Burley emphasized prevention as part of readiness, stating that every company should have an Injury and Illness Prevention Plan (IPP) — but most don’t.

“That includes warming up, stretching, even encouraging workers to go to the chiropractor or gym. A simple strain can put a worker down for days. Prevention is always cheaper than time lost,” he added.

A well-stocked first aid kit is critical – and follows the ANSI Z133 Chapter 3 requirement of first aid kits being on every site. This ensures work crews are never caught unprepared. At a minimum, a tree care crew should have the following on hand:

• Adhesive bandages in multiple sizes
• Sterile gauze pads and adhesive tape
• Antiseptic wipes and ointment
• Triangular bandages
• Elastic wraps for sprains
• SAM splint or equivalent rigid splint
• Finger splints
• Sling materials
• Instant cold packs
• Neck brace
• Tweezers and scissors
• Disposable gloves
• CPR mask or shield
• Emergency blanket

First aid kits should be inspected regularly, restocked when items have been used, and kept in an accessible location.

Building a Safety Culture

Safety doesn’t stop with gear or procedures; it lives in company culture. A strong safety culture empowers workers to speak up, share incidents, and take pride in doing things the right way.

Burley acknowledged that underreporting is common in the industry, but he also stressed that companies could change this:

“When crews know they’ll be supported instead of punished for reporting an injury, that’s when real safety will begin.”

According to Burley, a culture of safety starts with leadership modeling the behaviors they expect from the crew. Daily crew huddles, clear communication, and reviewing hazards together sets the tone. He emphasized encouraging workers to ask questions, and to truly listen to their concerns.

Burley also pointed out the importance of ongoing training: “Safety is a skill. Just like climbing or rigging, you get better with practice and repetition.”

For LeVangie, safety is a personal journey. “Most tree workers don’t treat their bodies with care,” she said. “Stretching, yoga, recovery — these are as important as sharpening a saw.” She calls on the industry to view arborists as “industrial athletes” whose performance depends on preparation and recovery.

Standards such as ANSI Z133 support this, offering guidance on hazard assessment, ergonomics, and resources for training. But the real change, said Burley, comes from crews and leadership embracing these practices as everyday culture.

Prevention Takes Priority

Injury on the job — whether it’s slips, trips, falls, or worse — are preventable with awareness, proper training, enforced standards, equipment and gear inspections, and company culture improvements. Recognizing and addressing these risks is essential to sustaining the industry as a whole.

Burley believes that improvement in tree care is attainable, highlighting the role of leadership in creating safer jobsites.

“Almost all of our injuries could be mitigated with proper SOPs and training,” he stressed. “Instead of just copying what the foreman has always done, we need to build consistency and standards.”

Chambrelli added the importance of footing, clip-in, and gear inspections: “It’s the simple steps that prevent the worst injuries. In an industry where rushing through a job is tempting, it’s important to remember that the basics save lives.”

Start small and review the ANSI Z133 with your crew, regularly — a recommendation from all of the experts. Burley, Chambrelli, and LeVangie all agree that small steps toward awareness through proper training and procedures build a strong culture of safety.