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• PLANET and TCIA partner to advance safety
• High five to the Student Career Days winners
• Plan to attend the Summer Leadership Meeting
• Renewal & Remembrance receives national award
• Engledow Group to host Specialty Symposium facility tour
• Safety listserve is up and running
• Showcase your projects by entering awards program
• Certification test schedule includes new dates and locations
• Advertising guidelines for lawn care products and services
• YEA! It’s more than a cheer
• Employers Encouraged to Participate in OSHA Challenge Program

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PLANET and TCIA partner to advance safety

As member-supported organizations, PLANET and TCIA are continually working to develop value-added programs. This latest joint effort to offer safety-related products to each other’s members at discounted member rates reflects two important objectives of both organizations: to continue to offer new and better benefits to their members, and to foster a culture of safety across the industries.

“Advancing safety is a key issue for both organizations,” says Tanya Tolpegin, PLANET CEO. “We represent different segments of a larger green industry that is in great need of quality safety information and training for its workers. Both organizations have committed to improving safety for all by offering programs dedicated to teaching and encouraging safe practices within industry companies.”

“Many of TCIA’s tree care members also perform lawn and landscaping services, and many of PLANET’s members are moving toward the tree care field, so it is only natural that our two organizations would collaborate to advance the safety movement,” said Cynthia Mills, TCIA president and CEO. “Giving green industry professionals discounted access to even more safety products is another way we can raise the profile of this critical issue.”

Discounted TCIA safety products for PLANET members include the following:

• Back Injury Prevention Kit. Back injuries are one of the leading causes of lost time in our industry. Don't let preventable injuries slow your crew and kill your profits. Posters and decals that demonstrate exercises and proper lifting techniques that prevent injuries are included.
• Basic Training for Tree Climbers Videos. International tree climbing champs Ken Palmer and Rip Tompkins team up with veteran climbing instructor Robert Phillips to demonstrate the skills required to become a top-production tree climber. Five-video set, plus workbook, includes: Getting Started, Rope Installation & Ascending, Climbing Spurs, Tying-In & Positioning, and Working
  the Tree.
• Basic Training for Groundworkers Video Set. Five-video set with contributions from Peter Gerstenberger and Bob Rouse of TCIA, and Ken Palmer of ArborMasterTM Training. Five-video set, plus workbook, includes: An Orientation to the Arboriculture Profession, Vehicle Safety, Job Planning & Preparation, Working Safely & Efficiently, and Brush Chipper Operation & Maintenance.
• Safety Pocket Guides in English and Spanish. Easy to comprehend, highly visual, and affordable. Five titles: “Safe Tree Felling, Preventing Falls,” “Preventing Struck-By’s,” “Preventing Electrocution,” and “Identifying Hazard Trees.” Each guide is approximately 40 pages.
• Rigging Video Set. This two-video set focuses on techniques and equipment that tree workers can apply in the field. The “rigging team” is made up of experts Don Blair, Ken Johnson, and Robert Phillips. Includes Basic Rigging, Technical Rigging, and a workbook.
• First Aid Kit. Configured based on ANSI standards, OSHA standards, a literature review, and experts in the tree care industry, this kit is designed for the needs of a typical tree care crew. Beyond basic ANSI and OSHA standards, this kit covers additional requirements for CPR and Blood Borne Pathogen Compliance. Additional items selected for arborists’ needs include eye care, sting relief, antibiotic ointment, and cold pack products. Improve protection of your employees today by equipping your fleet with these versatile kits.
• Spill Kits for Pesticides and Antifreeze. TCIA has configured two spill responder kits that will fit behind truck seats for easy access and storage. Kit components provide both tools and PPE that will be needed to begin taking action as a first responder for spills of most materials used in the green industry. An Inventory Maintenance and Restocking Guide is included to ease administration and maintenance. From avoiding stains in your client's paved driveway to environmental contamination and liability claims, these kits are a good investment.
• ANSI Z133-2006 in English and Spanish. The industry standard for safe tree work practices has been revised. You and your crews need to be aware of the changes made to Z133 since 2000.
• Electrical Hazards & Trees video in English and Spanish. demonstrates the proper safety precautions arborists should be using to be aware of and avoid electrical hazards according to OSHA 1910.269 and ANSI Z133-2006 standards.
• Hazard Tree Risk Assessment and Mitigation for Tree Workers. Contains a model job briefing, advanced rigging, and risk mitigation techniques and the latest methods to qualify and quantify hidden defects. This learning tool contains brilliant, full-motion video and more than 50 narrated slides with embedded animations. Available on VHS and DVD.
• Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports. Daily recording and processing of post trip inspections has never been easier. Ideal for companies covered under Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. Record and control proper copy distribution. Truck copies stay in book, office copies stagger and burst out. Usage guidelines on cover review the required procedures.
• FMCC Compliance Guide. Quickly find the regulations that apply to your business. The updated, guide to Federal Motor Carrier Regulatory Compliance is tailored to address the needs and issues of green industry service firms. It condenses and simplifies the rules and guidance provided by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Explanations in the guide cite relevant sections of the code and provide hypertext links to the full regulatory text.
• Hazard Tree Decals in English and Spanish. These durable decals show field workers how to detect common tree defects. Fits on sun visors of your company vehicles, or on clipboards. 8.5”w x 5”h.
• Model Company Safety Program. Easy to use for companies of all sizes. Prevent injuries, vehicle accidents, and property damage. Lower insurance costs, ensure OSHA compliance, and motivate employees. This program represents the best practices of the foremost professionals in the tree care industry.
• Tailgate Safety Program in English and Spanish. This convenient, on-the-job safety-training program requires minimum time, but delivers maximum benefit. Seventy brief lessons use simple props. Experts endorse this form of training. OSHA requires employers to provide safety training. This offers easy, organized support for documenting safety training. CD contains extra handouts and tests.

PLANET members can purchase these safety products, using the reference code “PLANET,” through TCIA’s online product store at tcia.org; phone: (800) 733-2622; fax: (603) 314-5386; or mail: Tree Care Industry Association, 3 Perimeter Road, Unit 1, Manchester, NH 03103. 

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High five to the Student Career Days winners

Nearly 800 students from 53 schools gathered to showcase their skills and knowledge in a series of 24 green industry competitive events at Student Career Days in Lansing, Michigan. Click here to see the results of the competition.
StudentCareerDays.org

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Plan to attend the Summer Leadership Meeting

PLANET members are invited to attend PLANET’s annual Summer Leadership Meeting June 20–24, 2007. Join more than 150 green industry professionals to plan, strategize, network, and set the future course for the organization and the green industry. Check out the Schedule at a Glance and register today.

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Renewal & Remembrance receives national award

As part of its 2007 Associations Advance America campaign, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) presented its 2007 Award of Excellence to PLANET for the Renewal & Remembrance at Arlington National and Congressional Cemeteries program. This national community service project is held each year in conjunction with the Legislative Day on the Hill event.

Each year ASAE and The Center for Association Leadership recognize programs that result in a significant benefit to American society. Receiving the Award of Excellence automatically puts Renewal & Remembrance in consideration for the 2007 Associations Advance America Summit Award, which will be announced in July.

Legislative Day on the Hill provides green industry professionals with an opportunity to unite and take a stand on Capitol Hill by discussing vital industry issues with legislators. The day before the Hill visits, attendees are invited to volunteer their skills and/or equipment for the “Renewal & Remembrance” project, a national community service effort to beautify Arlington National and Historic Congressional cemeteries. Please plan to attend.

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Engledow Group to host Specialty Symposium facility tour

PLANET will hold its Specialty Symposium August 24–26, 2007, in Indianapolis, Indiana. As part of the event, attendees can tour the Engledow Group headquarters in Carmel, Indiana. Besides getting a first-hand look at Engledow’s headquarters, information about its highly developed safety program, HR practices and challenges, and utilization of the H-2B program will be shared. Register today.

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Safety listserve is up and running

Would you like to share a safety tip or learn how to deal with a safety issue? PLANET now has the perfect forum for you — its new SafetySAVES listserve. Green industry professionals everywhere can now share their best practices and ask questions on a variety of safety topics. Furthermore, June is National Safety Month. You can find safety tips sheets, posters, and other safety-related materials on the National Safety Council Web site.

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Showcase your projects by entering awards program

The Environmental Improvement Awards program is open to PLANET members and is designed to reward independent interior plantscape, landscape, and lawn care professionals who execute superior projects. The early-bird deadline for entries is June 27, 2007. All entries are due by July 25, 2007.
More

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Certification test schedule includes new dates and locations

Take your career to new heights by earning a PLANET certification designation. For your convenience, multiple test dates and locations have been confirmed.
Test Schedule

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Advertising guidelines for lawn care products and services

To help you provide information about your products and services that isn't misleading or incomplete, PLANET developed advertising guidelines in cooperation with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) — two agencies vitally interested in the kind of information the public receives from the lawn care industry.

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YEA! It’s more than a cheer

Spread the word. Project Evergreen’s “Yard Enthusiasts of America” (YEA) consumer campaign can get your customers excited about green spaces. The YEA Web site gives information on the benefits of green spaces, provides useful techniques and advice, includes photo-sharing capability, and even gives your customers the opportunity to win prizes.

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Employers Encouraged to Participate in OSHA Challenge Program

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) invites companies looking for an effective tool to improve their safety and health management systems to consider OSHA's Challenge Program. The program is a three-stage roadmap to achieving recognition in OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP), the agency's premier recognition program for outstanding safety and health performance.

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