0423 190 077 Published: | Category: Arboriculture · Site Safety | Author: Arborista Trees
Arboriculture is consistently ranked among the most dangerous professions in Australia. The chainsaws, rigging loads, height and moving machinery that make the job possible are the same things that make it unforgiving of shortcuts. Two habits do more to prevent injury than almost anything else: wearing the right protective equipment, and never losing clear communication with the rest of the crew.
21x more likely a tree worker is killed on the job than while driving, per a US study
43+ tree care fatalities recorded in Australia between 2003 and 2015
Numbers like these are exactly why PPE and communication aren't treated as optional extras in a professional crew — they're written into WHS regulations, industry standards, and every properly run Safe Work Method Statement.
PPE is a shared responsibility, not a personal choice
Under the model WHS Regulations, a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) must consult workers when selecting PPE, provide it at no cost, and train workers in its use, storage and maintenance. Workers, in turn, must wear the PPE they're given as instructed, avoid misusing or damaging it, and report any damage or defect. A worker who refuses to wear provided PPE can face disciplinary action — this cuts both ways.
PPE should also be certified to the relevant Australian Standard (or an accepted international equivalent) wherever one exists, and kept clean and undamaged — dirt, chemical residue and UV exposure all shorten the working life of protective gear.
The minimum PPE kit for ground-based chainsaw work
Exact requirements shift with the task, but for most sites where a chainsaw is being used on the ground, this is the baseline kit every crew member should have on:
| PPE item | Why it's non-negotiable |
|---|---|
| Helmet | Required for aerial work and chainsaw use; needs a chinstrap so foliage or a trip can't dislodge it. Replace no later than 3 years from issue. |
| Eye protection | Safety glasses or an integrated face shield, worn whenever there's a risk of eye injury — essentially, whenever inside a work or exclusion zone. |
| Hearing protection | Chainsaws run around 110dB and chippers up to 120dB, both well past the 85dB WHS exposure standard. Minimum Class 4 or 5 protection for chainsaw operators. |
| Safety boots | Protective-toe boots certified to AS/NZS 2210 minimum whenever a chainsaw is in use; chainsaw-resistant boots are required or recommended for higher-risk tasks. |
| Chainsaw protective legwear | Trousers or chaps are required under AS 2727 any time a chainsaw is running. |
| High-visibility clothing | Worn on every tree work site so plant operators, drivers and the public can see crew at a distance. |
| Sun protection | Tree work means long days outdoors; UV exposure is a genuine occupational hazard, not an afterthought. |
| Gloves | Required whenever using a chainsaw or rigging, protecting hands from vibration, abrasion and rope friction. |
Some tasks call for more: chainsaw-resistant boots, additional chainsaw protective clothing such as gloves or arm guards, extra reflective visibility, or arc-flash protection for work near energised conductors. If electrical hazards are present, coordinate with qualified specialists and consider whether the job requires our 24/7 emergency tree service. If a task genuinely requires PPE to be adjusted or removed, that change has to go through the SWMS and a conversation with a supervisor — not a personal judgement call in the moment.
Not all boots are equal
Footwear is a good example of how PPE needs to match the task rather than being a single generic item. Climbing boots offer excellent grip for branch-walking but no chainsaw or impact protection at all. Safety boots add a protective toe. Chainsaw-resistant boots go further again, with different protection classes rated to different chain speeds. Ground work with a running chainsaw is exactly the situation where cutting corners on footwear carries the least room for error.
Call-and-response: the simplest rule on any tree site
During dismantling work especially, machines are running, everyone is focused on their own role, and a missed message can turn into a struck-by injury in seconds. The fix is a disciplined habit rather than any particular technology:
Climber: "Heads up?" → Ground crew: "All clear!"
If the response isn't heard, the work does not proceed — no exceptions.
Beyond that basic protocol, crews have several methods available for staying in contact, each with its own strengths and failure points:
| Method | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Direct voice | Short range, precise detail, novice crew members | Range under 15–20m; drowned out by machinery or wind |
| Hand signals | Long line-of-sight distances without machine-noise interference | Needs eye contact; can't interrupt a distracted worker |
| Whistle signals | Cutting through noise and grabbing attention on a busy site | Limited detail; everyone must know the same signal set |
| UHF radio | Precise detail over long distances with multiple dispersed crew | Fails if a device drops out mid-job; needs disciplined call-and-response |
| Bluetooth comms | Hands-free precise detail for up to ~5 crew within ~100m | Breaks down if any device fails or a worker isn't linked in |
No single method is right for every site. What matters is that the whole crew agrees on the method before work starts, and that everyone stops the moment communication becomes unclear or unreliable — rather than pushing on and hoping for the best.
The takeaway: the equipment on your body and the words passed between crew members are two of the cheapest, most reliable safety systems available on any site. Neither requires advanced technique or years of experience — just the discipline to never treat them as optional. It's a big part of why Arborists at Trees crews go home safe at the end of every job.
Content adapted from the Working Safely on Arboricultural Sites Student Resource Book.
Related Services
Safety is at the core of everything we do at Arborista Trees. Our crews follow these PPE and communication protocols on every tree removal, pruning, and emergency callout across Canberra. Need professional tree work done safely? We also provide stump grinding, hedge trimming, and land clearing.
"Every tree has a story. Our job is to make sure its next chapter is safe for people, property, and the environment."
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