TRAINING PROGRAM

Over the years, WTS has established many procedures and programs to help our employees work safe. As we often say, “Safety is everyone’s responsibility – we each own it.” We have dedicated staff to help support our safety program which includes safety supervisors for each division, safety managers and a risk management department that includes various administrators as well as the director of risk management.

The backbone of our training program resides in our Safety Manual. Our Safety Manual contains all the necessary components for the field personnel to use in the performance of their daily tasks. Although the manual is very comprehensive, if there is any question regarding the training process, our specialized support staff is available to assist. It is our belief that it is not just the employee that is responsible for their safety, but that all employees of WTS are involved in the safety of our employees.

Each field crew member is required to obtain or provide evidence that they have completed a certified program in First Aid and CPR within 90 days of hire. All field personnel are trained in the proper completion of our Pre-Job Hazard Survey. This comprehensive document is to be completed at the beginning of each new job or when substantial changes in the job occur. The survey identifies hazards specific to the job site and what type of equipment should be used to ensure the safe completion of the task at hand.

WTS is committed to the “Brother’s and Sister’s Keeper” philosophy and provides training and recognition for completion of the program. It is important that our employees are watching out for each other and if a hazard is observed, it is brought to the attention of other coworkers.

General Foreperson (GF) School

GF School is a four-and-a-half-day program where WTS employees participate in a variety of trainings and hands-on exercises to build a solid foundation to be more effective at their position. The goal of GF School is to educate and train our GFs to build a strong and productive workforce.

In 2022, seven classes were held and 126 employees attended. This included 117 GFs from WTS representing 17 divisions. This year, 451 International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Continuing Education Credits (CEU) and 342 Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) CTSP CEU’s were earned.

Project Manager (PM) School

Held annually, PM School is a four-day program, where project managers and supervisors from WTS participate in leadership training including communication and ‘good’ habit forming skills. PM School also has time focused on Incident Investigation along with presentations, evaluations and discussions. PMs work together throughout the week on various ideas and projects with the goal being a collective effort to pursue one project that will benefit WTS and be in alignment with divisional and company goals.

In June of 2022, 12 WTS employees gathered at the corporate office in West Des Moines, Iowa to further their learning and leadership.

Safety Awards: Lowest Incident Rate and Most Improved Incident Rate

WTS central region and north region were awarded the most prestigious safety awards from efforts in 2022. Central region, covering the Iowa and Nebraska areas, received the most improved incident rate award. North region, covering Illinois and part of Missouri, received the lowest incident rate award. These awards are given out by the WTS safety and risk departments and show each area’s dedication and commitment to safety.