Despite many commendable efforts and individual successes with safety over time, accidents continue to increase in tree care. This reputation as an industry that can’t seem to keep its workers safe is one that hurts our ability to recruit and retain employees, reduces consumer confidence in our abilities, and shrinks our profits when accidents and injuries raise our costs of doing business.

The Certified Treecare Safety Professional program was designed to address several of the challenges to safety that tree care companies face. More than a straightforward "safety trainer" credentialing program, CTSP teaches safety professionals strategies and tactics for changing the very "culture" of their organization. A Certified Treecare Safety Professional is able not only to coach his/her team in safe work practices, but also work to change attitudes about safety and motivate other employees to want to participate.

To move forward as an industry and become safer, we need more than standards and requirements. We need an industry-wide commitment to a culture of safety. Through CTSP, a culture of safety can be developed one company and one individual at a time, and as this happens, our industry will be transformed from what it is today.