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Tree Trimmers and Pruners - 37-3013.00

O*NET-SOC Description

Using sophisticated climbing and rigging techniques, cut away dead or excess branches from trees or shrubs to maintain right-of-way for roads, sidewalks, or utilities, or to improve appearance, health, and value of tree. Prune or treat trees or shrubs using handsaws, hand pruners, clippers, and power pruners. Works off the ground in the tree canopy and may use truck-mounted lifts.

Sample of Reported Job Titles

  • Arborist
  • Tree Trimmer
  • Tree Climber
  • Ground Worker
  • Line Clearance Foreman
  • Plant Health Care Technician
  • Groundsman
  • Tree Care Foreman

SOC Occupation Groups

Related Occupations

Tasks

  • Apply tar or other protective substances to cut surfaces to seal surfaces, and to protect them from fungi and insects.
  • Cable, brace, tie, bolt, stake, and guy trees and branches to provide support.
  • Clean, sharpen, and lubricate tools and equipment.
  • Clear sites, streets, and grounds of woody and herbaceous materials, such as tree stumps and fallen trees and limbs.
  • Climb trees, using climbing hooks and belts, or climb ladders to gain access to work areas.
  • Collect debris and refuse from tree trimming and removal operations into piles, using shovels, rakes or other tools.
  • Cut away dead and excess branches from trees, or clear branches around power lines, using climbing equipment or buckets of extended truck booms, and/or chainsaws, hooks, handsaws, shears, and clippers.
  • Harvest tanbark by cutting rings and slits in bark and stripping bark from trees, using spuds or axes.
  • Hoist tools and equipment to tree trimmers, and lower branches with ropes or block and tackle.
  • Inspect trees to determine if they have diseases or pest problems.
  • Install lightning protection on trees.
  • Load debris and refuse onto trucks and haul it away for disposal.
  • Operate boom trucks, loaders, stump chippers, brush chippers, tractors, power saws, trucks, sprayers, and other equipment and tools.
  • Operate shredding and chipping equipment, and feed limbs and brush into the machines.
  • Plan and develop budgets for tree work, and estimate the monetary value of trees.
  • Provide information to the public regarding trees, such as advice on tree care.
  • Prune, cut down, fertilize, and spray trees as directed by tree surgeons.
  • Remove broken limbs from wires, using hooked extension poles.
  • Scrape decayed matter from cavities in trees and fill holes with cement to promote healing and to prevent further deterioration.
  • Split logs or wooden blocks into bolts, pickets, posts, or stakes, using hand tools such as ax wedges, sledgehammers, and mallets.
  • Spray trees to treat diseased or unhealthy trees, including mixing chemicals and calibrating spray equipment.
  • Supervise others engaged in tree trimming work and train lower-level employees.
  • Transplant and remove trees and shrubs, and prepare trees for moving.
  • Trim jagged stumps, using saws or pruning shears.
  • Trim, top, and reshape trees to achieve attractive shapes or to remove low-hanging branches.
  • Water, root-feed, and fertilize trees.

Detailed Work Activities

  • advise clients or customers
  • climb ladders, scaffolding, or utility or telephone poles
  • demonstrate or explain assembly or use of equipment
  • develop budgets
  • direct and coordinate activities of workers or staff
  • drive truck with capacity greater than 3 tons
  • fell or buck trees
  • mix paint, ingredients, or chemicals, according to specifications
  • monitor worker performance
  • move or fit heavy objects
  • operate agricultural equipment or machinery
  • operate tractor with accessories or attachments
  • recognize plant diseases
  • repair and maintain grounds keeping equipment and tools
  • use chain saws
  • use hand or power tools
  • use herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides or related products
  • use high voltage apparatus
  • use plant disease control techniques
  • use portable hand spray equipment
  • use truck-mounted hydraulic lifts or other accessories

Military Crosswalk Titles

No information available.

Apprenticeship Crosswalk Titles

  • Tree Surgeon
  • Tree Trimmer (Line Clear)

DOT Crosswalk Titles

  • Laborer, Brush Clearing
  • Laborer, Tanbark
  • Tree Pruner
  • Tree Surgeon
  • Tree Trimmer
  • Tree-Trimmer Helper
  • Vine Pruner