Article Figures & Data
Tables
- Table 1.
Occupational injuries to arborists involving fatal or severe nonfatal injuries, 2001–2017 inclusive by U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics event category, subcategories, and source.
Event and sources Fatal n 865 Nonfatal n 441 Contact with objects and equipment Struck by an object or equipment Falling tree 145 24 Falling branch 104 56 Chipper (branch, lines, projectiles) 13 15 Chain saw 13 41 Others 11 10 Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects Chipper (pulled in) 34 23 Collapsing palm skirt 25 3 Stump cutter grinding wheel 2 9 Others 12 8 Falls, slips, and trips Falls to lower level Climber 173 136 Aerial device operator 93 32 Ladder 4 22 Others 23 11 Falls to same level 0 5 Exposure to harmful substances or environment Electricity Direct 29 5 Indirect 106 13 Temperature extremes 8 2 Oxygen deficiency 1 0 Transportation incidents Pedestrian vehicular 43 17 Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles 6 3 Rail vehicle 2 0 Others 2 1 Violence and other injuries caused by persons or animals Intentional injury by person 1 0 Unintentional injury by person 2 0 Animal- and insect-related incidents 5 2 Fire and explosion Explosions 0 3 Occupational illnesses 8 0 - Table 2.
Fatal occupational injuries by percentages among tree workers by U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Injury/Illness event or exposure category.
Citation n Contact with objects & equipment Exposure to harmful substances or environment Falls, slips, & trips Transportation incidents Violence & other injuries by person or animals Buckley et al. (2008) 564 36.0% 18.8% 33.2% 11.2% 0.9% Castillo and Menendez (2009) 1,285 46.3% 14.0% 34.3% 5.1% 0.0% Wiatrowski (2005) 637 35.3% 18.7% 32.5% 12.2% 0.9% Present study 865 41.5% 16.6% 33.9% 6.1% 0.9% Hazard source/activity n Fatal n Nonfatal Climber falling from tree 56 13.6 ± 0.8 69 6.4 ± 0.5 Aerial device operator falling from bucket 14 11.0 ± 1.2 5 7.3 ± 1.0 Aerial device operator falling with device 12 11.3 ± 1.1 5 8.8 ± 0.3 Worker falling from or with ladder 3 8.6 ± 1.8 8 3.2 ± 0.4 - Table 4.
Tree worker electrocutions by voltages identified in U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration investigation summaries.
Voltage range (kV) n 0.300 and less 5 0.301 to 0.750 0 0.751 to 5.0 6 5.1 to 15.0 21 15.1 to 36.0 10 36.1 to 46.0 1 46.0 to 72.0 1 72.1 to 121.0 1 121.1 to 145.0 1