Working in the Wire Zone: Insurance, Safety, and the Realities of Utility Pruning
- admin813249
- Jan 6
- 4 min read
Utility pruning sits at the intersection of arboriculture and electrical safety — a place where biology meets infrastructure, and where skilled professionals keep communities safe from outages, fires, and electrocution risks. The work is essential, yet often misunderstood. Those dramatic gaps in the canopy or the removal of entire limbs aren’t mistakes: they’re deliberate, research-backed cuts designed to guide future growth away from powerlines and reduce the need for severe pruning in the future.
While the pruning techniques may look similar to other forms of arboriculture, the environment is vastly different. And according to Michael Davis, Managing Director of Westside Insurance, the insurance requirements are just as specialised as the work itself.
“Working around powerlines is one of the highest-risk things an arborist can do,” he said. “Because of that, the insurance program has to be specific, deliberate, and properly matched to the job. Assuming a standard tree policy will do the job is one of the biggest mistakes we see.”
What Arborists Need to Know
The team at Westside Insurance advises that arborists often underestimate how specialised insurance for utility vegetation work really is. They note that insurance for arborist operations is inherently complex, and once live electrical assets are introduced, that complexity increases significantly. Arborists are encouraged to work with advisers who are familiar with electrical hazards and the operational realities of the utility environment.
The team also explained that there are several non-negotiable considerations every arborist must check before taking on work near powerlines.
Key points to consider:
Public Liability may not automatically cover powerline work.
Specialist insurers/underwriters are often required.
Proof of competency is usually mandatory.
Contract requirements must be matched – contracts with councils or utilities may require higher liability limits, named principal endorsements, or professional indemnity.
Height limits and equipment use – ensure your policy allows the heights and tools you use.
Subcontractor coverage – confirm if your policy covers subcontractors or they need their own insurance.
Workers’ compensation and safety compliance – must reflect high-risk work and documented training.
Claims are high severity – powerline incidents often involve injury, fire, or property damage, so documentation, permits, and SWMS are critical.
Michael Davis added, “Everything you do must align — your operations, your documentation, your training, and your insurance. If one of those pieces doesn’t match the others, that’s where problems start.”
He stressed that arborists must ensure their cover explicitly includes powerline work, meets contract requirements, and accurately reflects the level of risk involved.
The Mistakes That Cost Arborists the Most
The team at Westside Insurance said that utility arborists face some of the highest exposures in the industry, and administrative errors—rather than technical mistakes—tend to be the most costly. Even small oversights in paperwork, contract interpretation, or activity disclosure can lead to major financial consequences when things go wrong near electrical assets.
They outlined the most frequent issues:
• Not updating their insurance adviser – new contracts, job scopes, or activities require adjustments.
• Inadequate disclosure of high-risk work – such as powerline, heights, rail, or industrial sites.
• Misunderstanding indemnity clauses – some extend liability beyond standard coverage.
• Assuming Public Liability covers everything – professional advice and environmental incidents often require additional policies.
• Poor subcontractor management – uninsured or unqualified subcontractors expose the main contractor.
• Incorrect Workers Compensation classifications or missing extensions.• Underinsuring plant & equipment – chippers, EWPs, chainsaws, rigging gear.
• Not following policy requirements – training, SWMS, and permits must be current.
Michael Davis said, “Most of these mistakes aren’t made with a chainsaw in hand — they’re made at a desk. But the consequences hit when you’re out in the field.”
A Claim That Still Serves as a Wake-Up Call
To illustrate how severe things can get, the team at Westside Insurance shared a real claim scenario involving a contractor clearing vegetation along a 220 kV transmission corridor.
A controlled fell went wrong when internal decay wasn’t detected during the pre-assessment. The tree barber-chaired, struck a guy wire, and triggered a cascade of consequences, including:
Structural damage to a transmission tower
Vegetation-to-conductor contact
Flashover and ignition of dry grass
A regional outage affecting around 18,000 customers
A bushfire that burnt 40 hectares
The resulting claims included:
• Public Liability: $4.1 million
• Bushfire liability: $1.3 million
• Professional Indemnity: $500,000
• Workers Compensation: $900,000
• Equipment losses: $45,000
The team at Westside Insurance advises that policy limits of $20 million to $50 million are entirely normal in this space.
Choosing the Right Insurer
Westside further advised that arborists entering the utility space must select insurers with genuine expertise. Policies must be flexible enough to match real-world operations and strict enough to meet council or utility contract requirements. Strong claims handling experience in high-risk vegetation work is also essential.
The essentials are:
• Expertise in powerline and high-risk vegetation work
• Flexible policy wording that matches real operations
• Strong claims handling
• Experience with arboriculture risk
How Much Public Liability Cover Do You Really Need?
The team at Westside Insurance advised that for utility vegetation management, $20 million is the minimum, and that in transmission or high-voltage corridors, $50 million—or more—is often required.
Regulatory Changes Arborists Must Keep Pace With
The Westside team also said that the WA Workers Compensation & Injury Management Act 2023 has introduced higher medical caps, new worker definitions, and additional reporting obligations. They also emphasised WA’s electrical safety guidance, including reinforced 2-metre minimum clearances in urban areas and the expectation that qualified arborists conduct work near powerlines.
Advice for Emerging Businesses
Westside Insurance’s team offers the following guidance for smaller or growing operators entering utility vegetation work:
Understand the risks.
Train your team and keep records.
Get the right insurance — Public Liability $20–50M and Workers Compensation are essential.
Check contracts carefully.
Use safety systems and documentation.
Manage subcontractors.
Start small and build experience.
Document everything.
Stay up to date with regulations.
Use industry bodies like ArbWest for support.
Michael Davis concluded, “Utility work rewards diligence. Shortcuts don’t survive long around powerlines.”
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