CTSP Leadership and Culture 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes 'psychological safety' in a treecare crew setting?
- The assurance that all PPE is properly fitted and certified
- A crew environment where members feel safe to speak up, ask questions, and report concerns without fear of ridicule or retaliation (Correct answer)
- A formal risk assessment that identifies psychological stressors on the job
- A mental health program offered through the company's EAP
Correct answer: A crew environment where members feel safe to speak up, ask questions, and report concerns without fear of ridicule or retaliation
Psychological safety is the team climate in which workers feel secure raising concerns or admitting errors, which is foundational to a strong safety culture.
Question 2: How should a treecare supervisor respond when a crew member successfully identifies a previously unrecognized hazard during a JHA?
- Correct the JHA template and circulate it without specifically acknowledging the crew member
- Publicly recognize the crew member's contribution and incorporate it into the updated procedure (Correct answer)
- Note the hazard internally and address it during the next formal safety review
- Remind the crew that JHA completion is a required formality, not a problem-solving exercise
Correct answer: Publicly recognize the crew member's contribution and incorporate it into the updated procedure
Publicly recognizing hazard identification reinforces that speaking up is valued and encourages similar behavior from others.
Question 3: A treecare company's injury rate is low, but workers rarely report near-misses. What does this pattern most likely indicate?
- The company has an exceptionally mature safety program
- Workers may distrust the reporting system, suggesting an underlying culture problem (Correct answer)
- Near-miss reporting is less important than tracking actual injuries
- The company's operations are inherently lower risk than the industry average
Correct answer: Workers may distrust the reporting system, suggesting an underlying culture problem
Low near-miss reporting despite active operations often signals that workers fear consequences for reporting, masking actual risk exposure.
Question 4: When a treecare leader delegates a task to a crew member, what leadership responsibility remains with the delegator?
- All responsibility transfers to the crew member once the task is delegated
- The leader retains accountability for ensuring the crew member has the skills, resources, and support needed to complete the task safely (Correct answer)
- The leader is only responsible if an injury results from the task
- The leader must supervise every step of the delegated task directly
Correct answer: The leader retains accountability for ensuring the crew member has the skills, resources, and support needed to complete the task safely
Delegation transfers authority but not accountability — the leader must verify competence and provide resources for safe task completion.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of a 'leading indicator' in a treecare safety management system?
- Number of lost-time injuries in the previous quarter
- Percentage of crew members who completed their annual chainsaw safety refresher this month (Correct answer)
- Total workers' compensation costs for the fiscal year
- DART rate compared to BLS industry benchmark
Correct answer: Percentage of crew members who completed their annual chainsaw safety refresher this month
Leading indicators measure proactive safety activities before incidents occur, such as training completion rates, rather than counting past injuries.
Question 6: A CTSP is asked to review the company's stop-work authority policy. Which element is most critical to include?
- A requirement that only supervisors may invoke stop-work authority
- Clear language that any crew member may stop work for safety without fear of retaliation, and the process to resume work safely (Correct answer)
- A tiered authorization system based on employee seniority
- A provision that stop-work authority expires after 30 minutes without supervisor review
Correct answer: Clear language that any crew member may stop work for safety without fear of retaliation, and the process to resume work safely
Effective stop-work authority policies must be universal, non-retaliatory, and include a clear process for safely resuming work after the hazard is resolved.
Question 7: What is the most important characteristic of effective safety goals in a treecare organization?
- They should focus exclusively on lagging metrics like TRIR to drive accountability
- They should be specific, measurable, achievable, and include both leading and lagging indicators (Correct answer)
- They should be set by senior management without crew input to maintain authority
- They should prioritize production efficiency alongside safety to balance organizational needs
Correct answer: They should be specific, measurable, achievable, and include both leading and lagging indicators
Effective safety goals use SMART criteria and balance leading indicators (proactive activities) with lagging indicators (outcome data) for a complete performance picture.
CTSP Leadership and Culture 5
Which of the following best describes 'psychological safety' in a treecare crew setting?