Product Overview

Summary: This Groundworker Safety in Arboriculture SOP sets out clear, practical steps to protect workers operating at ground level during tree work, including felling, pruning and removal activities. It helps Australian arboricultural businesses control high‑risk interactions between ground crews, machinery and falling timber, while demonstrating due diligence under WHS legislation.

Groundworkers are at the sharp end of arboriculture operations, working around chainsaws, chippers, EWPs, traffic and falling branches, often in tight urban spaces or remote bushland. This Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, easy-to-follow framework for managing those risks, with a particular focus on communication between climbers and ground crew, exclusion zones, safe work positioning, and the correct use of plant and equipment at ground level. It is designed specifically for Australian conditions, including work near roads, utilities, public spaces and in hot, variable weather.

By implementing this SOP, arboriculture businesses can significantly reduce the likelihood of serious incidents such as struck-by injuries, chipper entanglements, chainsaw lacerations and vehicle interactions. The document supports compliance with WHS legislation and relevant Codes of Practice by standardising how ground operations are planned, briefed, executed and reviewed. It also provides a consistent training reference for new and existing staff, helping to lift safety culture, improve job efficiency, and give clients and regulators confidence that work is being performed to industry best practice.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of serious injury from falling branches, moving vehicles and chipping operations through clearly defined exclusion zones and communication protocols.
• Ensure compliance with Australian WHS legislation and arboriculture-related Codes of Practice by documenting a defensible, systematic approach to groundworker safety.
• Standardise ground crew roles, responsibilities and workflows, improving coordination between climbers, machinery operators and traffic controllers.
• Improve incident preparedness and response with clear procedures for emergency communication, first aid and rescue support from the ground.
• Enhance training and onboarding by providing a practical, task-focused reference for groundworkers new to arboriculture or to your business.

Who is this for?

• Groundworkers in Arboriculture
• Climbing Arborists
• Team Leaders and Leading Hands
• Arboriculture Business Owners
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Local Council Parks and Gardens Supervisors
• Utility Vegetation Management Supervisors
• Landscape and Tree Services Contractors
• Horticulture Operations Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Being struck by falling branches, timber or equipment
• Contact with moving plant such as chippers, stump grinders, loaders and EWPs
• Chainsaw cuts, kickback and contact injuries at ground level
• Caught-in or entanglement hazards at wood chippers and other rotating machinery
• Manual handling injuries from lifting, dragging and stacking timber and brush
• Slips, trips and falls on uneven, vegetated or debris-covered ground
• Exposure to noise, vibration and flying debris
• Traffic-related risks when working near roads, driveways or public access ways
• Contact with overhead or underground electrical services during tree work
• Heat stress, dehydration and other environmental exposure risks
• Interaction with members of the public entering the work zone

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Terminology (Groundworker, Climber, Exclusion Zone, Drop Zone)
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities (Groundworkers, Team Leaders, Climbers, Plant Operators)
• 4.0 Pre-Start Planning and Site Assessment
• 5.0 Toolbox Talks and Communication Protocols
• 6.0 Required PPE for Groundworkers
• 7.0 Establishing and Maintaining Exclusion and Drop Zones
• 8.0 Safe Work Practices Around Chainsaws at Ground Level
• 9.0 Safe Operation Around Wood Chippers, Stump Grinders and Other Plant
• 10.0 Manual Handling and Brush/Timber Management Techniques
• 11.0 Traffic Management and Public Interaction Controls
• 12.0 Environmental Conditions, Heat Stress and Fatigue Management
• 13.0 Electrical and Utility Hazard Controls for Groundworkers
• 14.0 Housekeeping, Site Clean-Up and Demobilisation
• 15.0 Incident Reporting, Near Misses and Corrective Actions
• 16.0 Training, Competency and Verification of Skills
• 17.0 Record Keeping and Document Control
• 18.0 Review, Audit and Continuous Improvement

Legislation & References

• Model Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (as implemented in relevant Australian jurisdictions)
• Model Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Work Environment and Facilities
• AS 4373: Pruning of amenity trees
• AS/NZS 1891 series: Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices (for coordination with climber safety)
• AS/NZS 2153: Tractors and machinery for agriculture and forestry – Technical means for ensuring safety
• AS/NZS 2210.1: Safety, protective and occupational footwear – Guide to selection, care and use