Arboriculture Rigging Foundations

Arboriculture Rigging Foundations

Private & Custom Training — Aerial Lift or Climbing Module

Rigging fundamentals don't change depending on how your team gets into position, but the technique does. This course builds foundational rigging skill for your team, delivered either from an aerial lift or from a climb, whichever matches how your crew actually works.

This course covers drop zone awareness, clear communication, rigging forces, essential knots and equipment, rigging setup, and the difference between positive and negative rigging, taught hands-on in the context your team will actually use it in. Grounded in industry best practice and WorkSafeBC regulation.

[Request a Proposal]

Who This Course Is For

  • Arborists and tree care professionals new to rigging, or reinforcing essential technique

  • Teams who work primarily from an aerial lift, primarily by climbing, or a mix of both

  • A natural pairing with our Aerial Lift Operations & Aerial Rescue Training course, for teams choosing the Aerial Lift Module

A note on prerequisites, which vary by module: for the Aerial Lift Module, participants should have completed a Foundational Chainsaw Operations and Safe Work Practices course and have experience with or completed training in aerial lift operations and aerial rescue. For the Climbing Module, participants should have completed a foundational tree climbing safety course or have equivalent spur-less climbing experience.

Course Highlights:

  • Delivered as either an Aerial Lift Module or a Climbing Module, built around how your team actually works

  • Hands-on practice in the real platform, an aerial lift truck or a climb, not a simulation

  • Covers both tip and butt tying and positive and negative rigging, plus span rigging and speedlining

What Your Team Will Learn

Core curriculum, both modules:

  • Introduction to rigging forces, rigging gear, application, and inspection

  • Rigging knots, anchors, and attaching ropes and equipment to trees

  • Tip and butt tying, positive and negative rigging, and lowering pieces

  • Span rigging and speedline

  • Practical exercises in tip and butt tying, positive and negative rigging, span rigging, and speedline

Aerial Lift Module adds:

  • Aerial lift inspection, site setup, and emergency planning

  • Drop zone awareness from a lift platform

  • Hands-on practice using both participant- and instructor-operated aerial lift trucks, with a trainer-operated lift truck included as part of the session

Climbing Module adds:

  • Climbing system setup and inspection

  • Drop zone awareness from an aerial work position while climbing

  • Hands-on practice rigging from a live climb, supervised by our instructors

Facility & Equipment Requirements:

Aerial Lift Module: a park or treed area with lift truck access and trees requiring pruning or light removal work. Climbing Module: a park or wooded area with trees suitable for climbing and rigging practice. Both should have lift truck accessible trees.

Rigging equipment can be provided for in-course use with advance notice.

Booking for a Team or Organization? Contact us and we'll arrange a session tailored to your crew.

Andrew MacLellan