Aerial rescue: what the rules ask of a tree crew

This page describes what the documents say. Rescue skills are learned from a qualified instructor and practised under their supervision. Page details below are as of October 5, 2026.

United States

The rules come from several places.

ANSI Z133. TCI Magazine, the TCIA trade magazine, quotes subsection 3.2.4: employees who may be faced with a rescue decision are to be trained in emergency response and rescue procedures for the work they do, and in the hazards of rescue efforts. The quote is in the TCI article of December 1, 2022.
Yearly training. A TCI Magazine chapter of May 1, 2024 says every company sending arborists into tree canopies must have emergency procedures for an injured worker aloft. It says the training is to be done at least annually and recorded by date, type of rescue and who attended. The account is in the chapter on emergency response and aerial rescue. It is a magazine account of the standard, not the standard itself.
OSHA 1910.269. For line-clearance tree trimming, the rule says each employee must be trained in applicable emergency procedures, such as pole-top and manhole rescue, and that the degree of training depends on the risk. See the OSHA text of 1910.269. It applies to line-clearance trimming, not to all tree work.

The same chapter says the most common reason for an aerial rescue is being struck by a falling or swinging branch, followed by chain saw cuts, falls and electric shock. It says a rescue near a power line is not started until the line is de-energized. It also says the practice victim should be a rescue dummy, not a person, and that speed should not be the aim of a practice.

Canada

Each province sets its own rules.

British Columbia. The OHS Regulation says that in forestry operations, before a climber starts, a written climber rescue plan must be developed and told to everyone involved. If the plan needs a second climber, a duplicate set of climbing equipment must be ready at the site and that climber must be available. Section 26.12 covers tree-climbing activities at a workplace other than a forestry operation. It says the written tree-climbing plan must set out emergency response, evacuation and rescue procedures, and that the employer must make sure a climbing arborist can be promptly rescued under them. The text is in the OHS Regulation, Part 26.
Alberta. The explanation guide to Part 39 of the OHS Code says the employer must develop rescue procedures for a worker who falls or is suspended in a work positioning or fall arrest system. The text is in the Part 39 explanation guide.

Other provinces set their own rules.

United Kingdom

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) treats rescue as part of planning work at height.

On the HSE site, the HSE tree climbing page says rope and harness climbing can only be done if, among other conditions, the user and a sufficient number of available people have had training specific to the task, including rescue techniques. It points to HSE Technical Guide 1, Tree Climbing and Aerial Rescue.
On the HSE site, the HSE aerial work page says at least two people must be present during all aerial work, and one of the ground team must be available, competent and equipped to do an aerial rescue without delay.
On the HSE site, the HSE lifting equipment page says a reliable means of rescue must be available and people trained in tree rescue should be at each work site. It also says the main climbing rope and associated equipment should be inspected every day by a competent person.

The HSE leaflet

HSE leaflet AFAG402, Aerial tree rescue, is the short document most often named. The copy linked here is hosted by a training company. It is dated April 2013. It says the following.

A rescuer's safety takes priority at all times.
The Arboriculture and Forestry Advisory Group recommends that climbing teams regularly practise rescue techniques.
The worksite and planned operation must be assessed to set the emergency procedures, and everyone on site trained in them.
A two-way radio or mobile phone and a pre-arranged call-in system are to be used where reasonably practicable.
With fracture, crush or possible spinal injury, the casualty is moved only under medical supervision.
If overhead cables are involved, the crew does not approach, stops work and calls the electricity company.
After a rescue, the equipment involved is not used until a competent person has examined it, and the rescue is reported to HSE under RIDDOR.

The leaflet text is in the AFAG402 leaflet copy.

Australia

The Safe Work Australia guide to managing risks of tree work (March 2023) says that where crew work at height a rescue plan must be in place. For climbing, that includes a plan to reach the climber in the tree and bring them to the ground. The copy linked here is hosted by a tree company.

At least one other crew member on site should be trained and competent and hold the national qualification in aerial rescue.
Workers must be trained in emergency procedures, including rescue techniques and the risks of suspension intolerance.
The plan should list local emergency service numbers and, where power lines are present, the electricity business emergency number.
Some rescues may be too complex or hazardous. The guide says a rescuer must not attempt a rescue beyond their skill level.
Climbers and rescuers should be assessed as competent and take refresher training where necessary. No interval is given.

The text is in the guide copy.

The national unit is AHCARB318, Undertake aerial rescue. The training.gov.au entry lists the prerequisites HLTAID011 Provide First Aid and AHCARB319 Use arborist climbing techniques. Its performance criteria include confirming emergency numbers, preparing and positioning the rescue kit, assessing whether a rescue can be done safely within the team's capability, and asking emergency rescue services for help when a safe rescue is not possible.

New Zealand

The WorkSafe New Zealand Approved Code of Practice for Safety and Health in Arboriculture (2012) says tree work needing an arborist to climb above three metres must have a second person on site trained in aerial rescue, with rescue equipment and procedures in place. It also says rescue procedures must be outlined and understood, ground staff should be able to carry out an aerial rescue, and nobody should work alone aloft. Anchor points must carry the climber and a potential rescuer. WorkSafe notes the code has not been updated for the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. The code is on the WorkSafe code page.

NZQA unit standard 31185 covers climbing and a one-person aerial rescue, and says candidates must hold a current first aid certificate before the rescue. See the NZQA unit standard 31185.

Courses named in official documents

In the United Kingdom, HSE names Lantra Awards and City and Guilds NPTC as the awarding bodies for current qualifications for chainsaw operators in forestry and arboriculture. The Lantra Level 3 Award in Access a Tree Using a Rope and Harness and Aerial Rescue has the qualification number 610/6135/9, with 42 guided learning hours. Its specification says it covers both tree and pole rescues. The text is in the Lantra specification. For how courses compare, see choosing a course.

At a glance

Country	What it asks	Source
United States	Rescue training; yearly under Z133, as reported	ANSI Z133, OSHA 1910.269
Canada	Written rescue plan (BC); rescue procedures (Alberta)	Provincial codes
United Kingdom	Two people; ground rescuer ready without delay	HSE
Australia	Rescue plan; another crew member qualified	Safe Work Australia
New Zealand	Second person trained above three metres	WorkSafe NZ

For the wider picture, see safety rules by country.