Working for a tree service is a rewarding career because you'll be helping people by performing work that they're reluctant or unable to perform themselves. This type of work can often be dangerous, though, and there are numerous ways that you could sustain an injury while on the job. A common type of injury for tree service employees is a fall — you could fall out of a tree and sustain broken bones or other injuries, resulting in a significant amount of time off work and the potential for a workers' compensation suit. Fall injuries aren't the only types of injuries that you could encounter. There are also many ways that you could sustain eye injuries.
Branch Poke
One way that you could suffer an eye injury while working for a tree service occurs when a branch pokes you in the eye. This can occur in a number of scenarios. For example, if you've climbed a tree so that you can carefully remove certain problematic branches, you might turn your head suddenly and have a branch poke you in the eye. Part of your safety gear includes eye protection, but the branch could potentially slide under your glasses or goggles to make contact with your eye.
Sawdust Contact
Sawdust from tree limbs that are being cut can also pose a risk to your eyes when you work for a tree service. Again, your eye protection should shield your eyes from this risk most of the time, but exceptions can always occur. For example, if you're standing below a fellow tree service employee who is cutting a branch above you. With each cut, sawdust will fall around you, and it's possible for some of the small pieces of wood to go in your eye. You could suffer a variety of eye injuries as a result, including a scratched cornea.
Rope Contact
Tree service crews frequently use ropes to control branches that they cut. For example, instead of simply allowing a branch to fall to the ground, it's common to lower the branch in a controlled manner with the help of one or more ropes. Sometimes, these ropes will be under tension, and this could mean that one end of a rope could snap loose and hit you in the face. In some scenarios, the rope could potentially break through your eye gear and injure your eye. If you've suffered an eye injury or any injury while working for a tree service, consult a workers' compensation attorney.
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