Tree work incident report 2022184470047: arborist topping a decayed tree, British Columbia
What WorkSafeBC's published summary 2022184470047 says about an arborist killed in September 2022 when the rotten base of a 40 metre tree snapped after he topped it.
Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 8, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.
This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. This page restates one published investigation summary in our own words: notice of incident number 2022184470047, an incident report summary from WorkSafeBC, published in April 2025. The incident happened in September 2022 in a public park. No one is named here or in the summary. WorkSafeBC says personal information has been removed and findings may be shortened. The table of every report we read is in the official case library for tree work incidents.
What happened
An arborist employed by a tree services company, under contract to a municipal government, was removing trees in a public park. He climbed a 40 metre tree marked for removal in order to top it, and tied into the stem. Right after he felled the top, the base of the tree snapped and the tree fell, and he fell with the stem to the ground. He sustained fatal injuries.
The cause the summary gives
WorkSafeBC found that the tree's structure was compromised by decay and rot at its base. When the upper part came down, its weight put excessive pressure on the rotten base, which snapped. The summary adds that the top portion was not rotten.
Contributing factors the summary lists
- The arborist was trained and certified in many parts of tree service work but was not a certified tree faller, and not trained to a standard WorkSafeBC accepts. After difficulties felling a different tree earlier that day, he chose to top this one instead of hand falling it, though he knew it was rotten.
- The employer did not make sure a proper tree assessment and climbing plan were done for a dangerous tree.
- The employer had safe work procedures for falling and climbing, but the summary calls both inadequate for falling and topping, and says neither the arborist nor the employer followed them.
- The employer's check of new workers' competence rested on a misunderstanding. It relied on an International Society of Arboriculture arborist certification, which the summary says the provincial regulation does not recognize as a falling training standard.
- The arborist was not supervised during a high-risk activity.
- The municipality did not make sure qualified, certified fallers did the falling, and it had no formal site or post-work inspection process for its contractors.
Related WorkSafeBC material
WorkSafeBC also publishes a safety bulletin, reference WS-2023-06 from November 2023, on keeping arborists safe during tree removal in residential and recreational settings. Its summary says tree removal is inherently high-risk and that poor health, dead or decaying trees and limited work areas raise the risk. The bulletin is described as covering identifying risks, control measures, a tree-climbing plan and checking worker qualifications. Full reports are available from WorkSafeBC on a written request. The rules by country are in the guide to safety rules for tree work.
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