DOL Introduces New Initiative Targeting Safety in Tree and Landscape Services

DOL Introduces New Initiative Targeting Safety in Tree and Landscape Services

The multi-year program focuses on New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

  • By Robert Yaniz Jr.
  • Jan 18, 2024

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced a new multi-year program to address the troubling rate of fatalities and injuries in the tree and landscape service industries, with a particular focus on New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

According to a release dated January 11, The goals of OSHA's new regional emphasis program are two-fold. First, it aims to enhance awareness among employers, employees and stakeholders about the hazards present in tree trimming and landscape operations. Second, the initiative involves conducting targeted safety and health inspections to ensure compliance and reduce exposure to workplace hazards.

“We want to make these workplaces safer for all workers in this industry,” OSHA Regional Administrator Richard Mendelson in New York said in a statement. “By intensifying our focus on the tree and landscaping industries, we can help employers provide effective management of worker safety and health protection to reduce the extent and severity of work-related injuries and illnesses.”

Set to continue through fall 2028, the program aims to improve the safety of tree and landscape workers, who face many risks associated with using heavy equipment, working at elevated heights and prolonged exposure to various dangerous elements. This aligns with OSHA’s strategic emphasis areas, which focus largely on falls, amputations and electrical injuries.

About the Author

Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.

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