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Arborist Tree Climbing Risk Assessment

Arborist Tree Climbing Risk Assessment

  • • 100% Compliant with Australian WHS Acts & Regulations
  • • Fully Editable MS Word & PDF Formats Included
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Arborist Tree Climbing Risk Assessment

Product Overview

Identify and control organisational risks associated with Arborist Tree Climbing through a structured, management-level WHS Risk Management approach that focuses on planning, governance, training, and systems of work. This Arborist Tree Climbing Risk Assessment supports compliance with the WHS Act, demonstrates Due Diligence, and helps protect your business from operational and legal liability.

Risk Categories & Hazards Covered

This document assesses risks and outlines management controls for:

  • Governance, WHS Duties and Consultation: Assessment of PCBU obligations, officer due diligence, consultation with workers and HSRs, and integration of arborist climbing risks into the broader WHS management system.
  • Contractor Management and Procurement of Arborist Services: Management of prequalification, tendering, selection and monitoring of arborist contractors, including verification of insurances, licences, and WHS capability.
  • Competency, Training and Authorisation of Arborists: Assessment of competency standards, high-risk skills verification, refresher training, and formal authorisation processes for climbing and aerial work.
  • Health, Fitness for Work and Fatigue Management: Protocols for medical fitness, musculoskeletal risk, heat and environmental stress, fatigue control, and management of drugs and alcohol for climbing personnel.
  • Planning, Site Assessment and Job Authorisation: Systems for pre-start planning, tree and site risk assessment, traffic and public interface planning, and formal job authorisation before climbing commences.
  • Equipment Procurement, Design and Selection: Management of selection, specification and compatibility of climbing ropes, harnesses, anchors, rigging equipment, and associated plant in line with relevant Standards.
  • Equipment Inspection, Maintenance and Replacement: Controls for pre-use checks, scheduled inspections, traceability, defect reporting, quarantine, and end-of-life replacement criteria for climbing and rigging gear.
  • Work Methods, Systems of Work and Safe Work Procedures: Development and review of documented systems of work for tree access, cutting, rigging, lowering, exclusion zones, and interaction with ground crews and plant.
  • Supervision, Leadership and Competent Oversight: Requirements for on-site competent persons, supervision ratios, safety leadership, and escalation pathways for stopping unsafe work.
  • Emergency Preparedness, Aerial Rescue and First Aid: Planning for aerial rescue capability, rescue equipment readiness, response times, communication systems, and first aid coverage specific to tree climbing operations.
  • Environmental and Public Interface Management: Management of risks to the public, adjoining properties, utilities and services, as well as noise, debris, falling objects and environmental protection considerations.
  • Monitoring, Incident Management and Continuous Improvement: Systems for inspections, audits, incident and near-miss reporting, investigation, corrective actions, and ongoing improvement of arborist climbing controls.

Who is this for?

This Risk Assessment is designed for Business Owners, Contract Managers, Council and Utility Managers, and Safety Professionals who plan, procure, supervise or oversee Arborist Tree Climbing operations within their organisation or supply chain.

Hazards & Risks Covered

Hazard Risk Description
1. Governance, WHS Duties and Consultation
  • • Lack of clearly defined WHS responsibilities for officers, PCBUs, managers and workers in relation to arborist tree climbing
  • • Insufficient consultation with workers, elected Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) and contractors about tree‑climbing risks and controls
  • • No formal process to ensure officers exercise due diligence under the WHS Act 2011 for high‑risk tree work
  • • Fragmented or informal WHS documentation leading to inconsistent decision‑making and poor oversight of climbing activities
  • • Failure to integrate arborist climbing risks into the broader organisational WHS management system and risk register
2. Contractor Management and Procurement of Arborist Services
  • • Engagement of arborist contractors without verifying qualifications, high‑risk work competencies and climbing experience
  • • Selection of contractors based primarily on price, leading to inadequate resourcing, shortcuts in climbing systems and poor supervision
  • • Lack of formal prequalification criteria for tree‑climbing contractors, including insurances, WHS systems and incident history
  • • Inadequate assessment of contractor WHS documentation (e.g. risk assessments, emergency plans, rescue capability) before work is awarded
  • • Poor coordination of WHS responsibilities between PCBU and contractors, causing gaps in control of site‑specific climbing hazards
3. Competency, Training and Authorisation of Arborists
  • • Workers performing tree‑climbing tasks without appropriate formal training, recognised qualifications or demonstrated competency
  • • Inadequate verification of prior experience, resulting in inexperienced climbers undertaking complex or high‑risk tree work
  • • Lack of structured training for ground crew in supporting roles such as rope management, traffic control, exclusion zones and emergency response
  • • No formal authorisation system to limit tree‑climbing activities to competent and medically fit personnel
  • • Insufficient refresher training leading to skill fade in advanced climbing, aerial rescue, rigging and chainsaw use aloft
4. Health, Fitness for Work and Fatigue Management
  • • Workers undertaking strenuous tree‑climbing tasks with underlying medical conditions that increase the likelihood of sudden incapacity aloft
  • • Inadequate screening for physical fitness, leading to musculoskeletal injuries and overexertion during climbing operations
  • • Poor fatigue management practices, particularly during seasonal peaks, long shifts, hot weather or after‑hours emergency call‑outs
  • • Workers presenting for tree‑climbing duties while affected by drugs, alcohol or medication that may impair judgement, coordination or response times
  • • Lack of policies to manage heat stress, dehydration and environmental exposure for climbers and ground crew
5. Planning, Site Assessment and Job Authorisation
  • • Tree‑climbing activities commencing without a documented, site‑specific risk assessment and job plan
  • • Inadequate evaluation of tree condition, structural integrity and environmental factors prior to approving climbing as the access method
  • • Failure to identify and manage external hazards such as overhead powerlines, traffic, unstable ground, underground services, nearby structures and public access routes
  • • Poor communication of job plans, residual risks and control measures to all workers and contractors involved
  • • Lack of a formal permit or authorisation step for complex or high‑risk climbs (e.g. near utilities, over structures, dead or decayed trees)
6. Equipment Procurement, Design and Selection
  • • Procurement of non‑compliant or substandard climbing ropes, harnesses, connectors and fall‑arrest equipment not meeting relevant Australian or international standards
  • • Use of improvised or unsuitable equipment for tree climbing due to poor purchasing controls or budget pressures
  • • Inconsistent or incompatible climbing systems and hardware across crews, increasing the risk of misuse or configuration errors
  • • Failure to consider ergonomic design, adjustability and user comfort in harness and equipment selection, contributing to fatigue and musculoskeletal strain
  • • Procurement decisions made without consultation with experienced climbers and WHS advisors
7. Equipment Inspection, Maintenance and Replacement
  • • Failure of climbing ropes, harnesses, connectors or anchor hardware due to inadequate inspection or undocumented service history
  • • Use of damaged, contaminated, UV‑degraded or out‑of‑life equipment because replacement criteria are unclear or not enforced
  • • Lack of competent persons appointed to inspect, test and approve tree‑climbing equipment for ongoing service
  • • Poor storage, cleaning and transport arrangements causing premature degradation or loss of equipment integrity
  • • Inadequate recordkeeping of equipment inspection findings, defects and corrective actions
8. Work Methods, Systems of Work and Safe Work Procedures
  • • Inconsistent climbing techniques and work methods between crews, increasing the likelihood of error, miscommunication and incompatible systems being used together
  • • Absence of documented safe systems of work for different types of tree‑climbing operations, including ascent, work positioning, rigging, cutting aloft and descent
  • • Inadequate consideration of dropped‑object risks, swing‑fall potential and load‑sharing when planning climbing systems
  • • Reliance on informal practices rather than documented procedures that are reviewed and updated over time
  • • Insufficient controls around simultaneous operations such as rigging, cutting, traffic management and public interface while climbers are aloft
9. Supervision, Leadership and Competent Oversight
  • • Arborist crews operating without adequately competent supervision, leading to poor decision‑making and tolerance of unsafe practices
  • • Supervisors lacking specific arboricultural and climbing experience, resulting in ineffective challenge to unsafe methods
  • • Inconsistent enforcement of WHS policies, PPE requirements and equipment inspection practices between different supervisors
  • • Insufficient field verification that documented procedures are actually implemented during tree‑climbing operations
  • • Failure to intervene or stop work when conditions change or risks escalate (e.g. weather deterioration, unexpected tree defects, public encroachment)
10. Emergency Preparedness, Aerial Rescue and First Aid
  • • Inability to promptly rescue an incapacitated or injured climber due to lack of trained rescuers, equipment or rehearsed procedures
  • • Over‑reliance on external emergency services without realistic consideration of response times and access limitations at remote or complex sites
  • • Inadequate site‑specific emergency planning, including communication with emergency services and identification of landing zones or access points
  • • Ground crew unfamiliar with their roles in an aerial rescue scenario, leading to delays and confusion during a critical incident
  • • Insufficient first aid capability, including absence of appropriately trained first aiders or lack of suitable first aid equipment for tree‑work injuries
11. Environmental and Public Interface Management
  • • Public entering exclusion zones beneath or near climbers due to inadequate barriers, signage or supervision
  • • Falling branches, tools or equipment striking vehicles, pedestrians, buildings or infrastructure adjacent to the work area
  • • Insufficient coordination with road authorities or utilities when tree climbing occurs near roads, footpaths, cycleways or powerlines
  • • Noise, dust and debris from tree work causing nuisance or health impacts to neighbouring properties or sensitive receivers
  • • Failure to consider wildlife, protected species or environmental conditions that might alter tree behaviour or stability during climbing
12. Monitoring, Incident Management and Continuous Improvement
  • • Recurring tree‑climbing incidents and near misses due to inadequate analysis and follow‑up action
  • • Under‑reporting of hazards, unsafe conditions and low‑level incidents because workers do not trust or understand the reporting system
  • • Lack of performance indicators and trend analysis specific to arborist tree‑climbing risks
  • • Failure to update procedures, training and equipment specifications in response to new information, technology or regulatory change
  • • Ineffective internal audit and inspection programs that overlook systemic weaknesses in climbing operations

Need to add specific hazards for your workplace?

Don't worry if a specific hazard isn't listed above. Once you purchase, simply log in to your Client Portal and add your own custom hazards at no extra cost. We take care of the hard work—creating the risk ratings and control measures for free—to ensure your document is compliant within minutes.

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018: Risk management — Guidelines
  • Safe Work Australia – Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice: Guidance on controlling fall risks during work at height, including tree climbing activities.
  • Safe Work Australia – Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice: Requirements for safe use of plant such as chainsaws, EWPs, chippers and rigging equipment used in arborist work.
  • Safe Work Australia – How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice: Framework for hazard identification, risk assessment and control relevant to arborist operations.
  • AS 1891 (series): Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices — Selection, use and maintenance of harnesses, lanyards, anchorages and associated equipment.
  • AS/NZS 5532: Manufacturing requirements for single-point anchor device used for harness-based work at height.
  • AS 2727 / AS 2727.1 (where applicable): Chainsaws — Safety requirements for selection, use and maintenance in tree work.
  • AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018: Occupational health and safety management systems — Requirements with guidance for use.
Standard Risk Assessment Features (Click to Expand)
  • Comprehensive hazard identification for all activities
  • Risk rating matrix with likelihood and consequence analysis
  • Existing control measures evaluation
  • Residual risk assessment after controls
  • Hierarchy of controls recommendations
  • Action priority rankings
  • Review and monitoring requirements
  • Consultation and communication records
  • Legal compliance references
  • Sign-off and approval sections

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