It can be overwhelming when it comes to selecting a contractor for your next home project. Especially when it is for a service that you may not have much knowledge about, such as arboriculture. At first, it seems pretty straightforward when having your trees cared for, but when you think about it there are many factors to consider. Does a company have proper insurance coverage, what are their safety procedures and safety culture, do they practice and understand professional industry standards in conducting arboriculture services, and on and on. The trees on your property are a highly valuable asset to your property value and having them cared for professionally is essential for the health and longevity of your trees, and for the safety of your property and those working on it.
The Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) is an excellent resource for property owners to utilize to identify qualified arboriculture firms. TCIA is a professional organization that helps to promote the practice of safe and professional commercial arboriculture. The TCIA does many things to support commercial arboriculture companies like ours through arboriculture training, business training and professional certification programs. Two primary credential programs that they offer are the TCIA Accreditation program and Certified Tree Care Safety Professional (CTSP). These programs provide a platform for arboriculture firms to continually improve and ensure safe and professional services and business practices. The Accreditation program is for a company as a whole, qualifying specific criteria that the company is to adhere to ensure safe work practices and high-quality arboriculture services to their clients. The CTSP program is for individual professionals, training them on how to teach and promote safe work practices in arboriculture and ultimately improving the safety in our industry. Both programs involve continual improvement and reassessment. The Accreditation program requires a re-accreditation process every three years ensuring criteria are still met and continual improvement is being made. The CTSP program is a continuing education setup, where recipients are required to attain specific continuing education credits to sustain the credential for the professional. These two programs allow property owners or consumers to be confident in an arboriculture firm that they select for services on their property. Continued growth in these programs will improve the overall professionalism and safety in the arboriculture industry.
We are proud to have been a TCIA Accredited company since 2009 and it has made us a better company by being part of and adhering to the criteria of this program. We are also proud to have five CTSP’s on staff, helping to continually train other staff on safe work practices and continually growing our safety culture. A chainsaw is the most dangerous power tool out there and our industry is one of the most dangerous industries out there. Safety and professional work practices are our number one core value in our company, and these programs and the support of the TCIA allows us to achieve that value.
It is no doubt, overwhelming when trying to identify that contractor that will best fit your project. With the help and support of the TCIA, you can utilize their resources to ensure that you find that perfect and qualified arborist for your next project. Check out this link to find qualified arboriculture firms in your area and feel confident in the safety and quality of work being done on your trees. It is impossible to keep up on everything in all industries out there, so that is why it is our goal to empower you to be the caretaker of your trees!
http://www.tcia.org/TCIA/TCIA/Directories/FindQualifiedTreeCare.aspx