Getting started in tree climbing: what the regulators attach to climbing work
Who may climb, what training the rules attach to it and who must be on the ground, as written by HSE, SafeWork NSW, WorkSafeBC, WorkSafe New Zealand and California.
Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 9, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.
This page reports what the named codes, regulators and makers say. It is not training and does not teach the work. This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. Every source below was read on October 9, 2026. Country routes are in the guides for the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, with apprenticeships and choosing a course.
Credits: HSE text is adapted from HSE pages published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. SafeWork NSW text is adapted from the Tree works code of practice (March 2026), copyright State of New South Wales (SafeWork NSW), licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0; changes were made, because the text is summarised and reworded. WorkSafe New Zealand material is summarised from its Approved Code of Practice for Safety and Health in Arboriculture, with the source acknowledged.
What each source says about who may climb
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| HSE, United Kingdom | Climbing with ropes and a harness is allowed only if a risk assessment shows it is safe, and the user has task-specific training that includes rescue. Aerial work needs a minimum of two people, with a ground rescuer. |
| SafeWork NSW code, New South Wales | Climbers are competent workers with a national qualification, or trainees under direct supervision. A rescue plan names a crew member holding the aerial rescue qualification. |
| WorkSafeBC Part 26, British Columbia | Tree climbing is done by a qualified arborist or a trainee, under a climbing plan, with a rescue arrangement. |
| WorkSafe NZ code, New Zealand | A second person trained in aerial rescue is present for work above 3 metres. |
| California Title 8 section 3427 | Section 3421: each tree work location is under the direction of a qualified tree worker, training in aerial rescue is given to employees whose jobs may require it, and first aid and CPR training is provided. Section 3427: a second worker is present when an employee is above 12 feet. |
| OSHA fact sheet 3752, United States | Employers provide the hard hat, climbing spurs and harness at no cost to the worker. |
What the sources agree on
None of them lets a newcomer climb alone and unsupervised. Every rule above attaches a trained person to the climber's side, whether as a supervisor for a trainee (NSW, British Columbia), a ground rescuer (HSE, New Zealand), or a second worker (California). Rescue training comes up in all of them. The rules for rescue are in the guide on aerial rescue.
What the sources leave out
These codes do not say how long it takes to become competent, which course to take or what a first job pays. The regulators name the qualification or the training duty, and the course providers are covered in the country guides above.
Sources
- HSE, Tree climbing, read October 9, 2026
- HSE, Aerial tree work, read October 9, 2026
- SafeWork NSW, Tree works code of practice, March 2026, read October 9, 2026
- WorkSafeBC, OHS Regulation Part 26 Forestry operations and similar activities, read October 9, 2026
- WorkSafe New Zealand, Approved Code of Practice for Safety and Health in Arboriculture, read October 9, 2026
- California Department of Industrial Relations, Title 8 section 3421 General, read October 9, 2026
- California Department of Industrial Relations, Title 8 section 3427 Safe work procedures, read October 9, 2026
- OSHA, Tree Care Work fact sheet 3752, read October 9, 2026