ISA Certified Arborist Utility Specialist — Practice Exam
Customer relations: practice questions
Our ISA Utility Specialist bank has 48 questions on this topic. Here are 5 of them with answers; the full mock exam draws from every topic, like the real one.
Question 1
What does the USDA Forest Service Tree Owner's Manual tell homeowners about trees near utility lines?
- Never prune within 10 feet of utility lines; contact the utility
- Top them to below the wires
- Prune them yourself with a pole pruner, keeping both feet on the ground
Show the answer
A. Never prune within 10 feet of utility lines; contact the utility — Don't let children climb trees with branches within 25 feet of a power line.
Question 2
Per the FERC report, why is distribution UVM usually costlier per unit than transmission work?
- Distribution lines carry higher voltage and need larger clearances than transmission
- Herbicides cost more in towns
- More visible work with more owners to notify, coordinate with and educate
- Distribution crews are paid by the hour
Show the answer
C. More visible work with more owners to notify, coordinate with and educate — Transmission work has better-defined rights and fewer owners.
Question 3
In the Utility Specialist outline, which stakeholders are identified for UVM?
- Only the utility's shareholders and the board of directors
- Nobody outside the utility
- Property owners, the public, governing bodies and other interested parties
Show the answer
C. Property owners, the public, governing bodies and other interested parties — Conflict resolution is part of the domain.
Question 4
Per FERC best practices, what should ROW contracts state as the primary purpose of the ROW?
- Safe and reliable delivery of energy
- Recreation and timber
- Recreation, timber production and wildlife habitat for the landowner's benefit
- Wildlife only
Show the answer
A. Safe and reliable delivery of energy — Clear purpose language helps resolve disputes.
Question 5
In the Utility Specialist outline, what is a 'climbable tree' concern?
- A tree accessible to the public that could let someone reach energized lines
- A tree with low branches suitable for crews
- A tree with low, strong branches suitable for line-clearance crews to climb
- Any tree over 30 feet
Show the answer
A. A tree accessible to the public that could let someone reach energized lines — Outline task II C 5 (risk to the public).