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Electricity is a serious and widespread hazard to the arborist. Electricity causes about 30 percent of the fatalities in the tree care industry, making it the leading cause of worker fatality. Furthermore, almost all arborists in the field have at least some exposure to this hazard. A street lamp circuit, a cable TV wire, even a phone line can be energized with enough voltage to kill. Indirect contact through a green tree branch or other conductive object is an ever-present threat. One doesn't have to touch a wire to be electrocuted, and about half of all electrocution fatalities are the result of indirect contact.
All arborists must be trained to recognize and avoid electrical hazards. Qualified line-clearance arborists must have additional knowledge about electrical hazards and the special techniques used to work safely near electrical conductors.
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TCIA Grant Funds Allotted to Teach Safe, Accident-Free Electrical Hazards Work Practices
TCIA was recently awarded a federal grant in the amount of $165,000 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
The grant was awarded through the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program, which provides funding for nonprofit organizations to conduct in-person, hands-on training and educational programs for employers and workers on the recognition, avoidance, and prevention of safety and health hazards in their workplaces.
TCIA will develop approximately 25 free workshops in order to train 750 or more employers and employees of tree care companies in safe ways to handle electrical hazards associated with trees. These select workshops, financed 100 percent through federal funds, will be offered to affected employees and owners of small businesses, including limited-English, low-literacy, and hard-to-reach workers.
Learn More and Register.
Attendee limit is 30. Registrations from one company are capped at 10, until one week before the workshop when all empty seats are released. Sorry, no walk-ins. EHAP (Electrical Hazards Awareness Program)
helps you meet OSHA safety requirements
The OSHA 1910.269 safety standard requires:
1. Employer-certified training. Employers must certify that employees who work 10 feet or closer to energized conductors are trained in the special hazards involved in such work.
2. On-the-job training and verification. Employers must verify through documented, on-the-job training and verification that these employees have the skills necessary to perform line-clearance job tasks safely.
EHAP is an employer-certification training program you can implement to qualify your employees as line-clearance arborists. EHAP must be used in combination with documented on-the-job skills training and verification to meet OSHA 1910.269 requirements.
EHAP meets ANSI safety requirements
The ANSI Z133.1 safety standard for arboricultural operations requires all employees be trained to recognize electrical hazards.
EHAP training meets the ANSI Z133.1 training requirement.
EHAP Program Enrollment
There is one low enrollment fee that covers all enrollment items and all rewards. There is a one-time purchase of the Electrical Hazards and Trees video required in order to implement training.
Upon enrollment, TCIA provides each enrollee with:
1. An EHAP training manual with six chapter tests and verification forms
2. A copy of ANSI Z133.1 safety standards
3. Test correction of each chapter test, including up to three retakes.
4. Maintenance of transcript in the TCIA database
5. On-demand notification of transcript status via our toll free number
EHAP Program Completion
Upon completion of the training program, TCIA issues rewards such as a wallet card, helmet decal and certificate of completion at no extra charge.
The certificate of completion issued by TCIA verifies that the individual has completed the requirements of the EHAP training program. This includes:
- Passing 6 chapter tests with a grade of 85% or better (minimum of 21 out of 25 questions correct for most chapters)
- Providing proof of watching the Electrical Hazards and Trees video.
- Providing proof of watching the Aerial Rescue video
- Providing proof of performing a practice Aerial Rescue (Climbing or Aerial Lift) following ANSI Z133.1 Aerial Rescue Protocol
- Providing copy of valid First Aid/CPR cards.
To order EHAP materials, click here.
If you're enrolled in EHAP and have questions about your grades or program status, click here to send an inquiry to our EHAP administrator. |
