| Operator hurt in lift failure | March 25, 2022 | A tree worker was hospitalized with two broken legs and other injuries after an incident involving an aerial-lift truck on March 25, 2022, in Braintree, Massachusetts. According to a co-worker, a pin in the hydraulic arm of the company’s new bucket truck came out, dropping the worker about 40 feet … | serious | View | caught-in-under | serious |
| Worker killed in a wood chipper | March 16, 2022 | A worker was killed in an incident involving a wood chipper on March 16, 2022, in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The worker was part of a tree-company crew contracted by the city of Oshawa to remove ash trees because of infestation by emerald ash borer. A neighbor who was recording the … | fatal | View | caught-in-under | fatal |
| TV personality injured in struck-by | March 15, 2022 | Kentucky woodsman and TV personality Ernie Brown, Jr., better known as “The Turtleman,” was recovering after he was injured by a falling tree limb on March 15, 2022, in Lebanon, Kentucky. Brown was cutting down a tree when a limb fell about 50 feet and hit him, breaking the bones … | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| One killed, one injured by a cut tree | March 9, 2022 | One worker was killed and another injured when a tree they were cutting fell the wrong way and struck them on March 9, 2022, in Omaha, Nebraska. Matthew Thompson, from Yutan, Neb., was found pinned under a large tree and unresponsive. Bennington Fire and Rescue pronounced Thompson dead at the … | fatal, serious | View | struck-by-against | fatal serious |
| Groundworker electrocuted | March 1, 2022 | A groundworker was electrocuted during tree-trimming operations on March 1, 2022, in Madison, Wisconsin. Dustin L. Gurney, 38, of Janesville, Wisc., was part of a tree-company crew trimming trees when a branch became stuck on a power line. A worker pulled on the branch and it snapped the wire, which … | fatal | View | electric-shock-burn | fatal |
| Man injured cutting fallen tree | February 25, 2022 | A man was critically injured on February 25, 2022, in Greene County, Tennessee, while trying to clear a fallen tree from a roadway. Trey Youngblood, of Greene County, was cutting a tree that fell and lodged into another tree, blocking the roadway. The tree he was cutting “snapped back and … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Tree worker killed by falling mud mats | February 23, 2022 | A tree worker was killed on February 23, 2022, in Barryville, New York, when several 50- to 100-pound ground-protection mats he was stacking fell off an aerial-lift truck and landed on him. Aaron Terpstra, 21, of Lake Huntington, N.Y., was working for a tree-trimming contractor for New York State Electric … | fatal | View | caught-in-under | fatal |
| Homeowner killed by limb cut by tree workers | February 20, 2022 | A homeowner was struck and killed by a limb on February 20, 2022, in Brown Deer, Wisconsin, while a crew was doing tree work outside his home. Monias Hannah, 44, of Milwaukee, had recently bought the home and didn’t live there yet, but wanted to have some tree work done. … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Climber hurt in struck-by | February 14, 2022 | A climber was injured after being struck by a free-falling limb during a crane operation on February 14, 2022, in a town in Massachusetts. The company owner related to TCIA that a climber was operating off a crane, had just finished cutting a leader, and was descending to the ground … | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| Climber rescued after trapped in palm fronds | February 14, 2022 | A tree trimmer who became trapped upside down in palm fronds was rescued by fellow climbers on January 5, 2021, in Escondido, California. The man, who was wearing a harness, became wedged in the tree skirt after large fronds fell on him. He was in distress and screaming for help. … | saved | View | rescue | saved |
| Arborist survives close call | January 31, 2022 | Vental Waggoner was cutting down a black-walnut tree on January 31, 2022, in Bath Township, Ohio, when he may have gotten the professional scare of a lifetime. The 26-year-old arborist was removing a few trees in the backyard of a residential property when a limb fell onto his head, punching … | minor | View | struck-by-against | minor |
| Climber killed in struck-by | January 8, 2022 | A man died after being struck by a limb and trapped in a tree he was attempting to fell on or about January 8, 2022, in Natchez, Mississippi. Local authorities called for the help of a tree service to help them remove the man’s body from the tree on January … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Minor injuries suspected when aerial lift tips | January 6, 2022 | An aerial lift being used for line-clearance tree trimming tipped over January 6, 2022, on the shoulder of a road in Hayden, Idaho, taking down power lines and causing a power outage to about 200 homes. It is presumed the operator sustained at least minor injuries crashing into a wooded … | minor | View | fall | minor |
| Teen injured doing tree work | November 29, 2021 | A teenage boy was severely injured while cutting trees and clearing brush on November 29, 2021, in Como, Texas. Koby Crump, 17, of Como-Pickton, Texas, was taken to Parkland Hospital in Dallas, where he later underwent surgery for a spinal injury. Crump, a junior at Como-Pickton High School and a … | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| Tree worker severely hurt in struck-by | November 14, 2021 | A tree worker was struck by a large trunk/limb and seriously injured while cutting a tree on November 21, 2021, in Alton, Illinois. Durondo Phillips was cutting a large trunk or limb when it broke off and hit his left side, including his head, which resulted in scalping, a severe … | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| Man dies after pinned by cut tree | November 3, 2021 | A tree worker was killed on November 3, 2021, after becoming pinned under a large tree in Henrico County, Virginia. Roberto LaMotte, 45, was working for a tree care company attempting to remove a 50-foot-tall tree at a private property when he became trapped under the cut tree. He died … | fatal | View | caught-in-under | fatal |
| Operator rescued after crane topples | October 28, 2021 | It took emergency crews about an hour to free a crane operator from the cab of the machine after the crane toppled onto two homes while crews were performing tree work on October 28, 2021, in Worcester, Massachusetts. The crane was being used to cut or remove trees before it … | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| Worker struck and injured by a runaway truck | October 27, 2021 | A man was run over and injured by a truck that was towing a wood chipper on October 27, 2021, in Cecil Township, Pennsylvania. The truck either lost its brakes or the driver lost control and struck a man who was standing in front of a stump grinder, trapping him … | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| Lift operator electrocuted, co-worker injured | October 26, 2021 | A lift operator was electrocuted and a co-worker injured while trimming trees on October 26, 2021, in Abilene, Texas. Alan James Maxey, 31, was killed and a 24-year-old male was injured while working for a local tree-trimming company at a home. The 24-year-old, who was not identified, was hospitalized with … | fatal, serious | View | electric-shock-burn | fatal serious |
| Climber killed in fall | October 20, 2021 | A climber died after falling from a tree he was working on October 20, 2021, in Orinda, California. Fire department personnel responded to a call for a person who fell from an elevated position while trimming a tall tree. The victim was declared dead at the scene. It was unclear … | fatal | View | fall | fatal |
| Operator killed in chipper | October 18, 2021 | A chipper operator died October 18, 2021, in West Bloomfield, Michigan, reportedly after a gauntlet-style glove or the jacket he was wearing snagged on a branch and he was pulled partway into the machine. The man, 48, was part of a crew working at a private residence, but nobody witnessed … | fatal | View | caught-in-under | fatal |
| Lift operator electrocuted, son hurt | October 1, 2021 | The operator of an aerial lift was electrocuted and his son was injured while trying to rescue him on October 1, 2021, in Melbourne Beach, Florida. The man was in the bucket of a lift working for a tree-trimming service when he accidentally made contact with an electric line while … | fatal, serious | View | electric-shock-burn | fatal serious |
| Bucket operator electrocuted | September 28, 2021 | An aerial-lift operator was electrocuted on September 28, 2021, in Pleasant Springs, Wisconsin, when the bucket he was standing in came into contact with a power line. The man was taken to UW (University of Wisconsin-Madison) Hospital, where he later died, according to a WMTV report. | fatal | View | electric-shock-burn | fatal |
| Man killed when cut limb rolls | September 26, 2021 | A man died September 26, 2021, in Wyoming, Minnesota, when a large limb of a partially fallen tree he was cutting rolled on top of him. The victim, a 65-year-old man, was pinned underneath the limb. His son called 911, but the man died, according to a KTOE radio report. | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Homeowner hurt in fall while cutting limb | September 23, 2021 | A homeowner was injured when he fell while cutting a limb from a tree on September 23, 2021, in East Alton, Illinois. The man was attempting to cut a tree limb down when the limb fell, taking the homeowner with it. The man fell 10 to 15 feet, and the … | serious | View | fall | serious |
| Tree worker arrested for attacking boss | September 17, 2021 | A tree worker was arrested and charged with attacking his boss on September 17, 2021, at a job site at Summerfield, in Marion County, Florida. Robert Elvis Barkley, 42, of Ocala, Fla., apparently began arguing with his boss. The boss, a woman who co-owns the tree service, told Barkley they … | serious | View | workplace-violence | serious |
| Lift operator dies in fall from bucket | September 15, 2021 | An aerial-lift operator from Tennessee died September 15, 2021, in the Page Community of Bell County, Kentucky, when he fell from the bucket he was using while doing tree work at a residence. Brian Terrence Parker, 54, of Tazewell, Tenn., owner of Parker Tree Company, was pronounced dead at the … | fatal | View | fall | fatal |
| Tree worker shot and killed by co-worker | September 14, 2021 | A tree worker was shot and killed allegedly by a co-worker on the job on September 14, 2021, in Portland, Oregon. Ryan Muniz of Keizer, Ore., died at the scene of multiple gunshot wounds. The suspect, Johnathan Gonzales-Salcido, 24, of Salem, Ore., reportedly ran away on foot and was found … | fatal | View | workplace-violence | fatal |
| Compact-lift operator electrocuted | September 8, 2021 | A tree and landscape worker was electrocuted on September 8, 2021, in Northborough, Massachusetts, when the compact lift he was using while trimming trees came into contact with a power line. First responders found the lift in contact with high-voltage electrical lines, which were energized, and the operator, a 25-year-old … | fatal | View | electric-shock-burn | fatal |
| One worker killed, two hurt in crash | August 30, 2021 | A South Carolina tree worker was killed and two co-workers were injured in a crash on a Mississippi highway on August 30, 2021, while en route to assist with storm cleanup in the wake of Hurricane Ida. Brandon Irby worked for Harris Tree Service and Landscaping in Anderson, S.C., according … | fatal, serious | View | vehicle | fatal serious |
| Worker hurt in struck-by | August 24, 2021 | A tree worker was taken to the hospital on August 24, 2021, in Sioux City, Iowa, after being struck by a falling branch. The man was knocked unconscious by a tree branch that fell an estimated 15 feet. Sioux City Police say the man was taken to a local hospital … | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| Worker hurt when struck on roadside | August 23, 2021 | A tree worker was struck and seriously injured by a motorist while working with a chipper on the side of the road on August 23, 2021, in Sunrise Beach Village, Texas. A tree company’s truck was parked on the roadway as the victim, a 49-year-old employee, prepared for a job. … | serious | View | vehicle | serious |
| Property owner killed felling tree | August 21, 2021 | An off-duty state police trooper was killed on August 21, 2021, in Fayette County, West Virginia, after being struck by a tree he was cutting down on his property. John Syner, 52, a sergeant and commander of the state police detachment in Marlinton, W. Va., was cutting trees on his … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Climber rescued from tree after dark | August 19, 2021 | Firefighters helped a climber to safety on August 19, 2021, in Ionia County, Mich., after the climber became stuck in a tree about 30 feet above the ground. Ronald Township firefighters determined the tree trimmer was pinned in the tree by a large limb that had partially fallen. Crews from … | saved | View | rescue | saved |
| Operator rescued from stuck lift | August 17, 2021 | An aerial-lift operator for a tree-service company was brought to safety in Waltham, Massachusetts, on August 17, 2021, after being stranded in the bucket by a hydraulic failure. Firefighters were called to perform technical rescue after the hydraulics failed on the man’s truck, leaving him stuck dozens of feet in … | saved | View | rescue | saved |
| Operator dies when lift’s boom fails | August 16, 2021 | An aerial-lift operator died while trimming trees on August 16, 2021, in Douglas, Michigan, after the upper boom of the tracked lift he was using apparently failed. The upper-boom arm broke off and the bucket fell from a height of at least 40 feet onto the cement approach to a … | fatal | View | fall | fatal |
| Man killed by cut tree | August 15, 2021 | A man was struck and killed while cutting a tree on August 15, 2021, in Perry County, Kentucky. Stacy Lynn Coots, 47, of Viper, Ky., had gone into the woods to cut a tree and ended up being struck by the cut tree. He was pronounced dead on the scene, … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Man electrocuted using pole saw | August 13, 2021 | A man died after he was shocked while trimming trees from a ladder on August 13, 2021, near Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office reported that Noah Ness, 33, of Royalton, Minn., was standing on a ladder using a pole saw to cut branches from a tree when he … | fatal | View | electric-shock-burn | fatal |
| Tree worker injured in 30-foot fall | August 3, 2021 | A tree and landscaping-company worker was injured in a 30-foot fall from a tree he was cutting on August 3, 2021, in Torrington, Connecticut. The worker, who was not identified, was unconscious but breathing when firefighters arrived on the scene. He was flown by Life Star helicopter to Hartford Hospital, … | serious | View | fall | serious |
| Retired tree worker killed in accident | July 23, 2021 | Bruce B. “Pops” “Hitch” Hitchcock, Sr., 62, of Kennerdell, Pennsylvania, died July 23, 2021, as the result of a tree-trimming accident. No additional details on the accident were available. Hitchcock had operated Bruce & Son Tree Service, retiring in 2020, according to his obituary on www.hilebest.com. | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Man, 91, killed felling tree | July 20, 2021 | A 91-year-old man who was attempting to cut down a tree on July 20, 2021, at his home in Vernon, New Jersey, was killed when it fell on him. It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the accident or if the man was working alone at the time, according to Daily … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Tree worker killed by cut tree | July 19, 2021 | A worker cutting down a tree in a backyard on July 19, 2021, in Newark, Maryland, was killed when a piece of the tree fell on him. The 64-year-old man was part of a two-man team from a commercial tree-service company that was cutting down a tree. The man died … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Worker injured by stump grinder | July 16, 2021 | A man was seriously injured by a stump grinder in Dix Hills, New York, on July 16, 2021. Rubiel Cordoso Chavez, 33, of Huntington Station, N.Y., was working for local tree service at home when he slipped, lost his footing, and his leg became entangled in a stump-grinder wheel. Dix … | serious | View | caught-in-under | serious |
| City arborist killed in struck-by | July 14, 2021 | A city arborist died on the job after being struck by a falling limb on July 14, 2021, in Cleveland, Ohio. Sean Hudson, 48, died after a tree or part of it apparently collapsed. Hudson began his career with the city of Cleveland in 2017, according to News 5 Cleveland … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Owner killed in shop fire | July 14, 2021 | A man died from severe burns he suffered when the workshop for his tree care business caught fire on July 14, 2021, in Jackson County, Michigan. Lonnie Miller, owner of Lonnie’s Hauling & Tree Service in Henrietta Township, died July 28 from complications of thermal burns he suffered during the … | fatal | View | electric-shock-burn | fatal |
| Climber rescued from spar | July 7, 2021 | A climber was rescued by firefighters on July 7, 2021, in Fredenberg, Minnesota, after he cut the top off a Norway pine and it somehow became caught in his harness, trapping him 40 to 50 feet up on the spar of the tree. The rescue was a group effort. The … | saved | View | rescue | saved |
| Worker killed felling tree | July 1, 2021 | A tree worker died July 1, 2021, in Orlando, Florida, when a tree he was removing for a local church fell on him. The church had hired a tree-trimming service to remove four oak trees on the property. The trees had lost multiple limbs recently and were considered a hazard. … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Worker hurt in struck-by | June 18, 2021 | A tree worker using a loader to fell trees on June 18, 2021, in Forsyth, Georgia, was injured after a tree struck the loader, ejecting him. The tree worker told deputies his boss then refused to take him to the hospital after he had broken his collarbone. According to a … | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| Man rescued from tree | June 17, 2021 | A man was rescued from more than 50 feet up in a tree on June 17, 2021, in Springfield, Massachusetts, and it was reported he may have been up in the tree for at least a day. The Springfield Fire Department was called at around 5 a.m., but their bucket … | saved | View | rescue | saved |
| Homeowner killed in struck-by | June 10, 2021 | A homeowner was killed when he was struck in the head by a tree or tree limb while cutting trees on his property on June 10, 2021, in Smiths Station, Alabama. Jeffery Allen Ward, 58, had been cutting some trees on his property with a chain saw. When he did … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Climber injured in struck-by | May 25, 2021 | A climber was injured in a struck-by incident while removing a tree on May 25, 2021, in Franklin, New Hampshire. The climber was removing the tree in sections when a section apparently fell in an unintended direction, striking him as well as a trailer, according to a NH Statewide Fire … | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| Lift operator shocked | May 24, 2021 | An aerial-lift operator received a shock after making contact with a power line while trimming trees on May 24, 2021, in Clarkfield, Minnesota. Bradley Charles Kneisl, 30, of Paynesville, Minn., was in the bucket trimming trees at the time, and the electricity had to be turned off before first responders … | fatal | View | electric-shock-burn | fatal |
| Homeowner dies from chain-saw cut | May 22, 2021 | A man died May 22, 2021, in Mystic, Connecticut, after cutting himself with a chain saw while cutting trees on his property. Alan McConnell, 63, of New London, Conn., suffered a laceration to his left leg as he was cutting tree limbs in the yard. Neighbors found him unresponsive and … | fatal | View | caught-in-under | fatal |
| Tree worker injured in fall off chipper | May 17, 2021 | A worker was injured when he fell off a chipper while doing tree work on May 17, 2021, at the U.S. Navy’s Camp McKean in Bremerton, Washington. The tree-service employee was standing on top of the chipper attempting to get something off of it when he fell, suffering multiple broken … | serious | View | fall | serious |
| Worker cut self with chain saw | May 14, 2021 | A worker was hospitalized after cutting his arm with a chain saw while cutting trees on May 14, 2021, in Wayland, Massachusetts. A state trooper working a detail for the tree work on Route 20 applied a tourniquet and provided medical aid to the 31-year-old man. The worker was taken … | serious | View | caught-in-under | serious |
| Worker hurt in struck-by | May 13, 2021 | A tree-service worker was reported injured on a job on May 13, 2021, in Stanwood, Michigan. A struck-by incident caused a back injury that required a response by EMTs, according to a report directly to TCIA staff from a TCIA member. | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| Tree faller killed in struck-by | May 12, 2021 | A worker clearing land was killed by a falling tree on May 12, 2021, in Waterford, Maine. Michael Truman, 50, of Harrison, Maine, was part of a crew with an excavation company clearing brush and falling trees. Harrison apparently cut a tree and the treetop detached and fell on him, … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Climber rescued from palm | May 6, 2021 | A climber trimming a palm was rescued by firefighters on May 6, 2021, in Spring Valley, California, after becoming stuck in a palm-frond skirt 70 feet up. Just before 7 p.m., residents reported hearing the worker yelling for help from the top of a palm after his leg had become … | saved | View | rescue | saved |
| Lift operator electrocuted | April 22, 2021 | A tree worker was electrocuted while on a job on April 22, 2021, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Randy Johnson, 58, who was working for a tree service contracted to cut down a large tree, was up in the bucket of an aerial-lift truck above the power lines cutting a limb. … | fatal | View | electric-shock-burn | fatal |
| Man critically injured cutting tree | April 21, 2021 | A man trimming trees in back of a home in western Wichita, Kansas, was badly injured on April 21, 2021, when part of a tree fell on him. It was unclear if the man was in the tree or on the ground when the accident happened. There were some large … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Man dies trimming tree | April 10, 2021 | James Nagy, 49, died while trimming trees on April 10, 2021, in or near Butler, Pennsylvania, according to a report in the Butler Eagle. No other details were available. | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Worker killed operating stump grinder | April 7, 2021 | A tree worker died after he became trapped beneath a stump grinder on April 7, 2021, in Jacksonville, Florida. The tree-company employee was working by himself in the backyard of a residence using a stump grinder between the house and a hedge. The grinder apparently fell on top of the … | fatal | View | caught-in-under | fatal |
| Tree worker hurt in struck-by | April 6, 2021 | A tree worker suffered major injuries and was airlifted to the hospital after being struck by a falling tree on April 6, 2021, in Pescadero, California. Firefighters used a rope system to extricate the injured man, who was 300 feet down a steep hill, according to a KION TV report. | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| Tree worker shocked, injured | April 6, 2021 | A tree worker suffered an electrical shock and was reportedly unconscious in the bucket of an aerial-lift truck after striking a power line on April 6, 2021, in Browns Mills, New Jersey. A fire-department tower truck was called to rescue the unidentified man, and Medevac was called to transport the … | serious | View | electric-shock-burn | serious |
| Climber dies in fall with limb | April 4, 2021 | A climber working in a tree died April 4, 2021, in Springfield, Virginia, when the limb he was tied in to broke, dropping him 40 to 45 feet to the ground. Mauro Cruz Cortes, 45, of Culpepper, Va., was cutting tree limbs at a home when the incident happened. He … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Climber rescued from atop 100-foot spar | April 2, 2021 | A climber suffered a serious injury and had to be rescued after his chain saw kicked back while he was about 100 feet up on the spar of a tree on April 2, 2021, in Spokane, Washington. The man, a commercial tree trimmer, suffered significant injuries and was going in … | saved | View | rescue | saved |
| Climber rescued from 70 feet up | April 2, 2021 | Fire crews rescued a tree climber stranded 70 feet up in a tree on April 2, 2021, in Snellville, Georgia. The climber was topping a tree behind a home when he somehow became stranded. Firefighters specially trained as rope-rescue technicians created a rope system to attach to the man, who … | saved | View | rescue | saved |
| City worker killed on the job | April 1, 2021 | A City of De Pere, Wisconsin, employee died after being injured on a job apparently involving tree work on April 1, 2021, in De Pere. First responders attempted life-saving measures, but the employee died on the way to the hospital. While no details were provided, video images of the scene … | fatal | View | fall | fatal |
| Climber seriously injured in 50-foot fall with limb | March 28, 2021 | A climber was seriously injured on March 28, 2021, in Porter County, Indiana, when the limb he was tied to broke and he fell about 50 feet to the ground. Joshua Stone, of Porter County, was helping a friend on a side job with the removal of a 60-foot walnut … | serious | View | fall | serious |
| Climber electrocuted | March 27, 2021 | A man was electrocuted while trimming trees on March 27, 2021, in Cottontown, Tennessee. Joshua Singletary, 36, of Hendersonville, Tenn., was electrocuted while trimming near power lines at a home. It was unclear whether the electrical contact was with the victim directly or through the aerial lift he was using. … | fatal | View | electric-shock-burn | fatal |
| Homeowner killed in struck-by | March 27, 2021 | A homeowner in Englewood, New Jersey, died March 27, 2021, when he was knocked off his ladder by a limb while trimming a tree. The man, 52, was more than 10 feet off the ground on the ladder using a gasoline-powered chain saw when the limb fell, knocking him to … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Tree trimmer found dead in tree | March 16, 2021 | A tree worker was found dead in a tree on March 16, 2021, in Lubbock, Texas. Police and fire responded to a report of a body in a tree. The man had apparently been trimming the tree, but it was not immediately clear what led to his death. Lubbock Fire … | fatal | View | uncertain | fatal |
| Man hurt in fall from tree | March 13, 2021 | A man was injured on March 13, 2021, after falling from a tree he was working in at a house in Wayland, Massachusetts. The man, in his 40s, fell 15 feet and landed on an embankment. The man was airlifted to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston with serious injuries, … | serious | View | fall | serious |
| Two injured when tree truck overturns | March 8, 2021 | Two workers suffered minor injuries on March 8, 2021, after the tree-service truck they were riding in flipped over twice on a road in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Driver Mickel A. Melendez, 27, and Ismael Figueroa, 26, were transported to Berkshire Medical Center by Lee Ambulance for treatment of their injuries. The … | serious | View | vehicle | serious |
| Tree worker killed in struck-by | March 7, 2021 | A man died after being struck by a tree during trimming or felling operations on March 7, 2021, in Greenbrier, Tennessee. First responders with Greenbrier Fire and Robertson County EMS made every effort to save James Spain Jr., 53, but he was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to a Smokey … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Man electrocuted in tree | March 7, 2021 | A man was electrocuted when he apparently made contact with a power line while in a tree on March 7, 2021, in Baltimore, Maryland. First responders received reports of a man stuck in a tree. Investigators believe the man was killed when he touched the power line, according to a … | fatal | View | electric-shock-burn | fatal |
| Lift operator cuts own neck, dies | February 25, 2021 | An aerial-lift operator died when his chain saw kicked back into his neck on February 25, 2021, in Brownsville, Tennessee. Charlie “TreeMan” Shreve, 50, of Mercer, Tenn., was cutting a branch one-handed with his left hand, according to eyewitness reports. The branch was just above his head. As he turned … | fatal | View | caught-in-under | fatal |
| Lift operator dies in fall | February 23, 2021 | An aerial-lift operator doing tree work was killed after a cut limb struck the bucket he was in and he fell 30 feet to the ground on February 23, 2021, in Anderson, South Carolina. Jacob C. Williams, 64, was treated at the scene and transported to AnMed Health after suffering … | fatal | View | fall | fatal |
| Climber rescued from 50 feet up | February 20, 2021 | A climber was rescued from a tree on February 20, 2021, in Port Ludlow, Washington, after he realized, once aloft, that his ropes were too frayed to trust for the climb down. The Port Ludlow man had climbed 50 feet up the trunk, apparently cutting limbs as he went, according … | saved | View | rescue | saved |
| Compact-lift operator injured | February 17, 2021 | An experienced tree worker was severely injured when the top boom of an 83-foot compact lift apparently suffered a sudden structural failure, dropping him to the ground with it, on a job on February 17, 2021, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The injured arborist, Sam Neterval-Quiel, suffered multiple injuries, according to a … | serious | View | fall | serious |
| Two killed in dispute over firewood | February 10, 2021 | Two men were killed in a dispute over a load of firewood they had just delivered on February 10, 2021, in Parkville, Missouri. On the night of the shooting, investigators say the shooting suspect, who was not identified, went home and then contacted police. Charges had not been filed in … | fatal | View | vehicle | fatal |
| Tree worker hurt in struck-by | February 8, 2021 | A tree worker was injured after being struck by a section of tree on January 8, 2021, near Annapolis in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The victim, a man in his 30s, was performing work when he was struck on the head. The man was flown to Shock Trauma in Baltimore … | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| Two people were injured in a crash | February 4, 2021 | Two people were injured in a crash involving an overturned aerial-lift truck on February 4, 2021, in Santa Rosa, California. Firefighters with the Sonoma Valley Fire District had to extricate at least the driver from the truck. One patient was flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with moderate to major … | serious | View | vehicle | serious |
| Man killed by cut tree | January 29, 2021 | A man was killed when a tree fell on him while he was cutting it down on January 29, 2021, in Boston Township, Ionia County, Michigan. The man, 72, whose name was not released, was helping a family member cut down a large, storm-damaged tree when it fell on him. … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Driver injured after lift truck crashes, overturns | January 29, 2021 | A driver was seriously injured when an aerial-lift truck owned by a tree care company crashed and overturned on January 29, 2021, in Warrick County, Indiana. The wreckage had to be cut away to get the driver out of the truck. The driver had minor injuries. A tow truck was … | serious | View | vehicle | serious |
| Operator unhurt when lift overturns | January 22, 2021 | An aerial-lift operator performing line clearance along a roadway escaped injury when his lift truck fell on its side on January 22, 2021, in Montgomery County, Texas, on the north side of Houston. The tip-over was caused by muddy conditions, coupled with the load-side outriggers being set on the edge … | saved | View | vehicle | saved |
| Landscaper killed in fall from tree | January 18, 2021 | A landscaper died after falling from a tree he was trimming on January 18, 2021, in West Hills, on Long Island, New York. Vicente Oliver, 51, of Levittown, N.Y., was trimming a tree at a home when a branch broke. He fell about 40 feet to his death, according to … | fatal | View | fall | fatal |
| Tree cutter seriously injured, rescued | January 17, 2021 | One of two men cutting a tree suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries after the tree fell on him on January 17, 2021, in Dunlap, Tennessee. The incident happened off road in a wooded area at the base of a bluff. The two men were about 100 feet below the bluff … | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| Man injured by cut limb | January 17, 2021 | A man was struck and injured by a tree limb he was trying to cut down on January 17, 2021, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma City Fire Department responded to what it initially described as a “life or death rescue.” Firefighters had to remove the tree limb to free … | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| OSHA incident reports | January 1, 2021 | OSHA reports are not included in the accident graphic. OSHA reported the following incidents that were not found in published news reports. The dates given are approximate, as they reflect the date of OSHA inspection, and few details were available. January 8, 2021: A serious-injury accident involving a tree care … | fatal, serious | View | osha-incident-reports | fatal serious |
| Man killed by cut tree | December 19, 2020 | Joe Megredy, 57, of Leon, Kansas, died December 19, 2020, in Leon when a tree he was cutting down fell on him, according to a Butler County, Kansas, news report on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/bucoksnews/. | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Landscaper seriously hurt in struck-by | December 16, 2020 | A landscaper was seriously injured on December 16, 2020, in Southold (Long Island), New York, when a large tree branch fell onto his head. Landscapers with a local nursery were cutting down trees when the accident occurred. First responders with the Southold Fire Department and Stony Brook First Responder unit … | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| Man killed when cut tree rolls | December 14, 2020 | A man cutting up a tree on the ground on December 14, 2020, in Moscow Township, Michigan, was killed when the tree rolled and pinned him under it. A large tree had blown over, and the 45-year-old man from Jerome was using a chain saw to cut the tree into … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Man killed after cut tree strikes lift | December 13, 2020 | A man using a rented lift to help his son remove trees on December 13, 2020, in Clermont County, Ohio, died when the top of a tree fell onto the lift platform. Responding Felicity-Franklin Fire/EMS personnel found George Shelton, Jr., attempting to retract the lift that his father was in. … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Homeowner pinned, killed by cut tree | December 11, 2020 | A homeowner was killed on December 11, 2020, in Somerset, New York, when a tree fell on him while he was cutting it down. William Rucker, 76, of Somerset, was pinned by part of the tree’s trunk when it split and landed on him as he cut the tree with … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Man pinned, injured by cut tree | December 11, 2020 | A contractor was seriously injured after a derecho-damaged tree fell on him while he was trying to remove it on December 11, 2020, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The 24-year-old man was found pinned underneath the tree, which had been damaged from the August 10 derecho. While cutting down the tree, … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Tree falls on heavy equipment, killing operator | December 9, 2020 | One person was killed on December 9, 2020, in Jones County, Mississippi, when a tree fell on the cab of a track excavator the victim was using to clear land. Volunteer firefighters spent three hours using chain saws and a Jaws of Life hydraulic tool trying to free the victim. … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| OSHA inspection reports – Dec 2020 | December 1, 2020 | An OSHA inspection classified as a “referral” means a first responder observed that an incident was occupational in nature and called OSHA, whereas one classified as “accident” means the victim was hospitalized and the employer notified OSHA. The date we publish is when the OSHA inspection was opened, and it … | fatal, serious | View | osha-incident-reports | fatal serious |
| Homeowner hurt by cut tree | November 30, 2020 | A man was injured November 30, 2020, in Calvin Township, Michigan, while cutting down trees on his property. Ro-Mell Dungey, 40, had been trying to remove trees on his property when one of the trees fell on him. His 14-year-old son removed the tree and then went to find help. … | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| Worker killed by felled tree | November 25, 2020 | A tree worker died after he was pinned to the ground by a felled tree on November 25, 2020, at a home in Sudbury, Massachusetts. The 26-year-old man from Everett, Mass., was working for a contracted tree-trimming service. It was reported that the victim was not breathing, and responding Sudbury … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| No injuries when cut tree strikes garage | November 25, 2020 | A woman was home but uninjured after a neighbor’s tree that was being felled by a tree company struck her home’s garage on November 25, 2020, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The tree service was hired to remove three trees, but one of the trees fell in an unintended direction. Although … | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| Climber suffers serious cut | November 22, 2020 | A tree trimmer was rescued from a palm on November 22, 2020, in Hughson, California, after he apparently cut himself with his saw, became disoriented and slid about 30 feet down the trunk. The man, in his late 40s or early 50s, was hired to do the tree work and … | serious | View | caught-in-under | serious |
| Bucket operator hurt in fall | November 19, 2020 | The operator of an aerial-lift bucket was injured November 19, 2020, in Duxbury, Massachusetts, when a large leader he was removing swung in an unintended direction, knocking the operator out of the bucket and to the ground. The operator was an undisclosed distance off the ground and was not wearing … | serious | View | fall | serious |
| Two injured when rope feeds into chipper | November 14, 2020 | Two tree workers were injured when a climbing or rigging rope was accidentally fed into a chipper during or prior to November 2020 in Easton, Maryland. A man was in his home when he heard “a horrific grinding noise and screaming.” Outside, where a tree crew was cleaning up trees … | serious | View | caught-in-under | serious |
| Worker rescued from palm | November 9, 2020 | It took emergency crews about 20 minutes to free a tree trimmer who wound up trapped upside down in a palm tree, about 30 feet above the ground, November 9, 2020, in a San Carlos, California- area neighborhood. After firefighters got the victim, a man in his 40s, out of … | saved | View | caught-in-under | saved |
| Pinned climber rescued by firefighters trained in tree rescue | November 7, 2020 | Firefighters took about an hour to free a climber whose leg was pinned by a fallen limb on November 7, 2020, in Fairfield, Connecticut. A crew from a tree company was working on a tree when a branch suddenly dropped as one of the workers was removing a large limb … | saved | View | rescue | saved |
| Operator seriously injured in fall from bucket | November 5, 2020 | An aerial-lift operator was seriously injured on November 5, 2020, in Reisterstown, Maryland, after a tree or tree part struck the bucket he was in, knocking the operator out of the bucket and causing him to fall 30 to 40 feet to the ground. The man was taken to R … | serious | View | fall | serious |
| Pinned climber rescued from tree | November 5, 2020 | A climber was rescued by first responders on November 5, 2020, in Clayton County, Georgia, after he became pinned in a tree by a rigging line. Responding officers found two tree workers in the backyard of a home, including the one pinned from ankle to torso by a rope being … | saved | View | rescue | saved |
| Climber injured after tree fails | November 2, 2020 | A climber suffered serious injuries on November 2, 2020, in Mystic, Connecticut, after falling 50 feet when the tree he was cutting failed. The victim, a 25-year-old man who was a contractor, was in the process of limbing and topping the tree for removal. The man had just cut the … | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| Homeowner killed by cut tree | November 1, 2020 | A 73-year-old man was killed November 1, 2020, in Gaffney, South Carolina, when a tree he felled behind his home caused a second tree to fall and the second tree landed on top of him. Bobby Wayne Bradley, Sr., used a chain saw to take down a large tree. The … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Operator injured in fall from bucket | October 29, 2020 | A tree worker was seriously injured in a fall of 10 to 15 feet from the bucket of his aerial-lift truck on October 29, 2020, in Indian River County, Florida. The man, described as being in his 30s, was conscious when firefighters arrived. Indian River County Fire Rescue took the … | serious | View | fall | serious |
| Postal worker rescues man cut by chain saw | October 9, 2020 | A postal worker helped save a man who had cut himself with a chain saw on October 9, 2020, in Norwalk, California. Postal carrier Fernando Garcia was on his route in Norwalk when he heard a call for help. When he got close to the source, he found a man … | serious | View | caught-in-under | serious |
| Climber killed by palm fronds | October 6, 2020 | A tree worker died after being crushed by palm fronds on October 6, 2020, in Phoenix, Arizona. A man in his 40s was working in the tree when he was crushed by approximately 700 pounds of palm fronds. When firefighters arrived on the scene, they found the tree trimmer 20 … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Two hurt when tree truck flips | October 3, 2020 | Two drivers suffered minor injuries after a tree-service aerial-lift truck flipped over on Interstate 95 in Warwick, Rhode Island, on October 3, 2020. The truck took out the center guardrail just north of Route 117, and also hit a Jeep. Both drivers were taken to Rhode Island Hospital with non-serious … | serious | View | vehicle | serious |
| Bucket operator shocked by power line | October 3, 2020 | An aerial-lift bucket operator suffered a shock and burns on October 3, 2020, in Weathersfield, Connecticut, after making contact with a power line. A crew was trimming a tree near power lines when the bucket operator made contact with a live line. That party was taken to an area hospital … | serious | View | electric-shock-burn | serious |
| Homeowner injured in struck-by | October 1, 2020 | A homeowner was severely injured October 1, 2020, in Edgecomb, Maine, when a large tree he was cutting down snagged the tree next to it, snapping the second tree off, which then struck him from behind. Mike Requa, a Maine boat captain, was transported by LifeFlight to Maine Medical Center … | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| Climber dies after harness reportedly fails | June 20, 2020 | A climber died June 20, 2020, in Ogden Dunes, Indiana, after he fell about 40 to 50 feet while trimming a tree. The man, from Ogden Dunes, was working as a tree-trimming contractor, and investigators determined he fell when the safety harness he was wearing had a failure. The man … | fatal | View | fall | fatal |
| Injured climber rescued from treetop | June 14, 2020 | A climber who was injured while topping a conifer tree was rescued after being stranded 80 feet in the air on June 27, 2020, in Lakeview, Idaho. The climber was cutting the top of the tree when it either broke free early or went the wrong way, or both, and … | serious | View | caught-in-under | serious |
| Man rescued from 50 feet up in palm | June 14, 2020 | A man pinned by fronds 50 feet off the ground while pruning a palm was rescued by firefighters on June 12, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada. A ladder truck reached the man and a platform was put in place to get him into a harness before he was lowered in … | serious | View | caught-in-under | serious |
| One killed, another injured in truck crash | June 14, 2020 | One tree-company worker was killed and another was injured June 12, 2020, in Honolulu, Hawaii, when their company truck went off an overpass onto a highway below. Albert Ramos, 55, who was identified as the driver of the truck, was killed. His passenger, a man identified in reports only as … | fatal, serious | View | uncategorized | fatal serious |
| Tree worker injured in struck-by | June 14, 2020 | A tree worker was injured June 9, 2020, in Lynn, Massachusetts, when a limb from a tree he was taking down fell on him. The 32-year-old man was working for a tree service removing a tree in Lynn Woods Reservation at the time of the accident. He was in stable … | serious | View | struck-by-against | serious |
| Climber dies in 60-foot fall | June 12, 2020 | A tree worker died in a 60-foot fall from a tree June 12, 2020, in St. Helena, California. Jesus Perez, 49, of Napa, Calif., was a tree-removal worker for a company that offers products and services for wineries. He died at the scene, according to the Napa Valley Register report. | fatal | View | fall | fatal |
| Climber killed in fall | June 4, 2020 | A climber died in a fall from a tree he was working on June 4, 2020, in Ridgewood, New Jersey. The 35-year-old man from Bergenfield, N.J., was working at a home for a local tree-service company. He was nearly 30 feet up when he fell, and a tree limb landed … | fatal | View | fall | fatal |
| Tree worker killed | June 2, 2020 | A climber and foreman for a line-clearance company was killed on the job on June 2, 2020, in Maryland. The victim was Donald E. “DJ” Walker, Jr., 26, of Lonaconing, Maryland. No details related to the incident were provided in Walker’s obituary in The Cumberland Times-News, and no other published report … | fatal | View | uncategorized | fatal |
| Groundworker killed in struck-by | June 1, 2020 | A tree worker was struck and killed by falling debris on June 1, 2020, in Anderson, Indiana. Michael Lusher, 36, was working as part of a crew from a local tree care company and was struck while clearing brush at the bottom of a tree the crew was trimming. He … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Tree worker electrocuted | June 1, 2020 | A tree worker died June 1, 2020, in Phoenix, Arizona, after coming into contact with a power line. Crisostomo Hernandez-Aguilar, 28, was working on a backyard palm at a residence. First responders found Hernandez-Aguilar on fire and still suspended about 30 feet in the palm near the power lines. Fire … | fatal | View | electric-shock-burn | fatal |
| Tree worker electrocuted | May 14, 2020 | A climber doing tree work was electrocuted May 28, 2020, in Sacramento, California, after making contact with a power line while 50 feet up in a tree. Fire crews responded to a reported tree fire at a private home and found that the tree trimmer was stuck in a tree … | fatal | View | electric-shock-burn | fatal |
| Climber rescued from 25 feet up in tree | May 14, 2020 | A man helping a friend remove a tree had to be rescued May 21, 2020, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, after he was struck by a limb and injured 25 feet up. The victim, a friend of the homeowner, suffered blunt-force trauma and was stuck in the tree. Fortunately, several of … | serious | View | caught-in-under | serious |
| Feller killed by cut tree | May 14, 2020 | A tree worker felling a large tree on May 20, 2020, in Crestwood, Kentucky, died when the tree fell on him. A tree company was hired to remove a large tree from a residential property. Benjamin Oliver, 33, had cut a wedge into the front of the tree. He then … | fatal | View | struck-by-against | fatal |
| Climber rescued from 80 feet up | May 14, 2020 | A climber was injured and had to be rescued by firefighters from 80 feet up in a tree on May 14, 2020, in Baltimore County, Maryland. Officials said it was not immediately clear what the extent of the person’s injuries were, according to a patch.com report. | serious | View | caught-in-under | serious |
| Tree worker one of two injured in crash | May 14, 2020 | A tree worker was one of two persons injured in a three-vehicle crash on May 13, 2020, in South Carolina 170 near Okatie, S.C. A tree-trimming equipment vehicle was rear-ended by an SUV and a wheel from the vehicle came off, hitting a third car on the highway and causing … | serious | View | uncategorized | serious |
| Man pinned, injured by split tree | May 14, 2020 | A man clearing trees next to a business had to be rescued after a tree split and a portion of it pinned him against a concrete wall on May 11, 2020, in Youngstown, Ohio. Firefighters had to cut part of a chain-link fence to get to the man. Paramedics treated … | serious | View | caught-in-under | serious |
| Two workers hurt when tree falls on house | May 14, 2020 | Two tree-company employees were injured when a tree failed and fell on a house on May 6, 2020, in Bullard, Texas. A tree-trimming service was working near a house when the tree failed. The homeowners weren’t home when the incident occurred, according to a KLTV report. Both victims were taken … | serious | View | fall | serious |
| Worker killed in chipper incident | April 14, 2020 | A chipper operator died on the job after an incident on April 27, 2020, in New Philadelphia, Ohio. Tanner M. Perry, 25, of Dennison, Ohio, was working with a tree-service company chipping tree limbs when something caused the machine to malfunction. Emergency services received a call reporting that a chipper … | fatal | View | caught-in-under | fatal |