Last Saturday the Victorian Tree Climbing Championships were held in Yarra Bend Park in Fairfield. As a major sponsor of the Victorian Tree Industry (VTIO), ESV’s Line Clearance Assurance team went along to promote our line safety campaigns, safe work practices and provide assistance with the running of the event.
Throughout the day our team members engaged with industry stakeholders, providing information and advice to participants and tree industry personnel, including ensuring people working with trees are aware of the need for completing works safely near powerlines and knowing the rules they are required to follow.
The Victorian Tree Climbing Championships are held in various locations around Victoria each November. It is organised by the VTIO, an industry body whose members include arborists, tree climbers and other tree industry workers in Victoria.
This year’s one-day event offered three categories of competition: student, masters and an open category. 33 competitors undertook designated climbing tasks including a speed climb, work climb, aerial rescue, throw line and an ascent event. Each climb was timed and scored for technical correctness, with totals determining class and overall winners for the day. Overall winners will represent Victoria at the national tree climbing championships to be held in Hobart next year.
Events such as the Victorian Tree Climbing Championships offer an opportunity for ESV and its staff to speak directly with industry stakeholders, ensuring our key safety messages are communicated directly to our intended audience. It also provides industry participants an open environment in which to raise issues and ask questions of the industry safety regulator.
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Reviewed 18 January 2023