Falls
Man injured in fall
A man was injured when he fell from a ladder February 21, 2024, in Jacksonville, Illinois. The man was standing on a ladder cutting branches when he fell. The man was taken to the hospital, but the extent of his injuries was unknown, according to a My Journal Courier report.
Man killed in fall from ladder
A man was killed when he fell from a-ladder while trimming a tree February 13, 2024, in East Bethel, Minnesota. Paul Eugene Malaske, 70, of East Bethel, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a CBS News report.
Homeowner injured in fall from tree
A man was injured when he fell approximately 25 feet from a tree January 6, 2024, in Mansfield, Massachusetts.The 77-year-old man was trimming a tree when the incident occurred. He suffered minor injuries and was taken to a hospital by a medical helicopter, according to a report in The Sun Chronicle.
Tree trimmer injured in fall
The operator of a truck-mounted aerial lift was injured after he was knocked out of the lift’s bucket when the truck was hit by a car December 21, 2023, in Clovis, California, near Fresno. The tree worker was transported to the hospital and was listed in critical condition. The driver of the car also ended […]
Worker dies in fall
A worker died in a fall December 7, 2023, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The tree worker was working in a residential area, according to a Fox59 News report. No further details were available.
STRUCK BY OR AGAINST
Worker killed in struck-by
An aerial-lift operator was killed when a branch struck the boom of the lift, causing him to fall out of the lift and to the ground February 26, 2024, in Escambia County, Florida. The 59-year-old man was part of a county crew clearing trees when the incident occurred. A preliminary investigation indicated that the victim […]
Worker seriously injured in struck-by
A worker was seriously injured when he was pinned under a tree February 16, 2024, in Palestine, Texas. Braiden Lambright of Palestine shattered his pelvis, suffered a broken femur and sustained abdominal bleeding, according to a Palestine Herald report. He was flown to a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for treatment, according to the report.
Worker struck, killed by a work vehicle
A worker was killed when he was struck by a work vehicle February 9, 2024, in Shelton, Connecticut. Erick Irizarry, 29, of Waterbury, Conn., was working at a job site when he was struck, according to a courant.com report.
Homeowner killed in struck-by
A man was killed when he was struck by a tree while clearing storm debris February 4, 2024, in Yuba City, California. The 82-year-old man was trying to clear a tree from the roof of his house, possibly while using a ladder. The incident took place during a period of rain referred to as an […]
Man injured in struck-by
A man was seriously injured when he was struck by a tree while clearing trees February 3, 2024, in Chisholm, Minnesota. The 66-year-old man was operating a tractor when the tree struck him on his head. He was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, according to a Northern News Now report.
CAUGHT IN OR UNDER
Tractor operator killed clearing trees
A worker was killed while using a tractor to clear trees February 24, 2024, in Stanislau County, California. The man was operating the tractor when he became trapped between the tractor and a tree, or beneath the tractor tire. He was working for a tree-removal company at the time of the incident, according to an […]
Man dies in struck-by
A man died while doing yard work January 21, 2024, in Milam, Texas.La Porte police chief Doug Ditrich, 51, of La Porte, Texas, was found dead, apparently crushed by a tree. He died due to a “tree cutting accident,” deputies said, according to a KTRE news report.
Worker trapped, injured under tracked lift
A tree worker was injured October 4, 2023, in Colleton County, South Carolina, when he became trapped under a 16,000-pound compact lift. The tree crew was working in a wooded area with a steep embankment when the equipment fell on top of the worker. Photos of the incident indicate that the boom of the tracked […]
Worker killed when caught under tree branch
A lift operator was killed when he was pinned under a tree branch September 26, 2023, in York County, Pennsylvania. Dahn Tran, 42, of Mount Wolf, Pa., died of asphyxia when he was pinned under a branch while he was in the aerial lift, according to a lancasteronline.com report.
Worker injured when trapped in a boom lift
A worker received non-life-threatening injuries when the boom lift he was operating became pinned by a tree September 25, 2023, in Toledo, Ohio. Part of the tree fell and disabled the boom, according to a WTOL Newsroom report. The tree company was using rented equipment, according to the report.
ELECTRIC SHOCK OR BURN
Handyman electrocuted
A man was killed when he hit power lines while trimming trees February 24, 2024, in Arlington, Florida. The man, who was reported to be in his 30s or 40s, was a handyman helping out with tree work in the area. He was trimming trees approximately 50 feet up when he hit a power line, […]
Climber electrocuted
A climber doing tree work was found unresponsive in a tree in the backyard of a home, apparently after being electrocuted, November 21, 2023, in Cheviot Hills, California. Noel Gonzalez Sixtos, 33, of Los Angeles, was removed from 20 to 25 feet up in the tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to […]
Worker killed by electrical contact
A worker was killed when he made contact with a power line September 23, 2023, in Port Lucie, Florida. Wilson Lopez, 18, of Stuart, Fla., was cutting a tree on a residential job site when the incident occurred, according to a tcpalm.com report. Lopez was transported to the hospital, where he died, according to the […]
Worker critical after electrical contact
A worker was seriously injured when his chain saw came in contact with a live power line, September 21, 2023, in Lutz, Florida. The worker was working with a tree crew and was in a rented boom lift when the incident occurred, according to a WFLA NBC Channel 8 News report. The worker was listed […]
Tree contractor electrocuted
A private tree contractor was killed when they touched a live wire August 31, 2023, in Delta Township, Michigan. A Lansing Board of Water & Light spokesperson said the contractor was killed while working at a residence, according to a WLNS news report.
RESCUE
Climber rescued from tree
A climber was rescued after becoming entangled in gear and getting stuck upside down in the tree February 4, 2024, in Smith County, Texas. The tree worker may have lost his footing while working in the tree, and a gust of wind also may have been a factor. Emergency responders were able to assist the […]
Worker rescued from bucket truck
A lift operator was rescued after his truck-mounted aerial lift tipped October 15, 2023, in York, Maine, leaving him stranded in the bucket. The York Beach Fire Department was called to stabilize the bucket truck and rescue the worker, according to a News Center Maine report.
Climber rescued from palm
A tree climber in Santa Ana, California, was stuck 40 feet in a palm November 14, 2022. The climber was apparently fatigued and not able to descend on his own. The Orange County Fire Authority’s Technical Rescue Team shot a pilot line over the palm to establish a rope system and was able to rescue […]
Climber rescued after slipping from safety harness
A climber doing tree work was rescued in a Las Vegas neighborhood after slipping from a safety harness while suspended 35 feet in the air August 5, 2022. Las Vegas Fire & Rescue and crews from Clark County and North Las Vegas fire departments responded. The arborist was rescued without serious injuries within 20 minutes […]
Lift operator rescued from bucket
Firefighters in Del Ray Beach, Florida, rescued a worker who found himself stuck in a bucket while trimming trees after his truck caught fire July 23, 2022. The worker was near the top of a tree he was trimming when the truck caught fire. The fire moved from the truck toward the bucket, but firefighters […]
