Tree work is high risk work. If you receive a notice from ActewAGL or an energy company about trees near powerlines or if you have concerns about a tree, we can help.
Be wary of companies offering you very cheap work. They may not be up to the job and they may not be fully insured. Tree removals are a last resort and should only be carried out by insured and qualified professionals.
Professional tree services checklist
1. Insurance
Your tree company must have adequate insurance so that you are adequately covered for any damage. Sight a current policy – a reputable tree surgeon will show you proof of their cover on request. TreeWorks has $20M public liability insurance.
Ensure your tree company has a workers compensation insurance policy within the State the work is being carried out. Make sure you are not at risk of being liable should an injury to a worker occur.
If no policy is in place a tree worker may be classified as a ‘domestic’ worker and may therefore need to be covered by the home owner. If the policy is not carried in the State that the injury occurs then the worker may not be covered for that injury.
Ensure your tree company has workers who are employed under an industrial award. Some tree companies are working outside an adequate industrial award and not paying employees their full entitlements, i.e superannuation, leave entitlements.
Ideally a tree company should be certified by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations as Code Compliant under the National Code of Practice for the Construction Industry.
Alternatively within the ACT tree companies should hold an Industrial Relations and Employment Certificate
2. Training
Tree work requires a high degree of training to meet nationally recognised safety standards and to avoid harming the tree or surrounding houses and infrastructure.
- Ensure your tree company and all tree workers hold relevant licences / tickets for the task they are carrying out. For example in the ACT when powerlines are involved only accredited ACTEW tree surgeons should be engaged.
- All tree work should be carried out according to Australian Standard 4373-2007 standard
- Tree surgeons should have Certificate 2 in Arboriculture qualification
- Ensure your tree company has arboricultural knowledge and a passion for trees. Only an arborist with a Certificate 4 (or higher) in Arboriculture can provide adequate and safe advice for you.
- Chainsaw operators must have a chainsaw certificate.
- Climbers should have a climbing certificate and rescue aloft certificate
3. Risk Assessment
Ask the company quoting if they carry out a written risk assessment before commencing work – you can request to see the risk assessment. Prior to commencing any job TreeWorks assesses each site to identify potential risks the work may pose to the site and to the general public and what steps will be taken to minimise these.
4. Membership
Reputable tree services will be a member of a Arboriculture Australia
If you have any concerns about the qualifications of a tree company call Arboriculture Australia and see if they are members or contact us for a free quote.
TreeWorks is Canberra’s leading tree services business. We are a fully licensed & insured tree removal company and a member of Arboriculture Australia. Our climbers are fully trained and some of our arborists have over 25 years experience in large scale tree surgery and removals.
TreeWorks …. truly tree-mendous