How many people should be on a tree crew?

Crew size follows the work. A small trim with a chipper may need a climber and a ground person. A large removal near a house usually needs more hands, because someone must watch the drop zone, someone must feed the chipper and someone must handle the rigging.

A common setup is a crew of three or four. One person works in the tree or the bucket, one or two work on the ground, and one person runs the chipper or manages traffic and cleanup. That is a pattern, not a rule, so build your own from the jobs you actually do.

Safety should set the minimum. Tree work is dangerous, and a person working aloft needs someone on the ground who can call for help. Industry safety standards expect trained workers and a plan for emergencies. Check the rules that apply to you, and talk with your insurance agent, because some policies set conditions on crew size and training.

Bigger is not always better. Every added person adds wages, taxes and insurance cost. If extra hands do not make the job faster or safer, you are paying for them with your profit. Track the hours on each job type and test different crew sizes.

Last, count your ground skills. A strong ground person who can rig and run the chipper makes a climber more productive than a larger but less trained team.