Tree care, tree removal operations: OSHA issues updated enforcement guidance
Washington — OSHA has updated its enforcement guidance for tree care and tree removal operations.
The guidance was issued June 24 in a memorandum to OSHA regional administrators. It provides inspectors with the agency’s general industry standards that may be used for citations, depending on the hazard(s) involved. It also details some instances in which inspectors may use the General Duty Clause.
Topics outlined in the memo include falls and falling objects, electrical safety, machine guarding, noise exposure, personal protective equipment, hand and portable power tools, and first aid kits.
OSHA has been working on a tree care standard for about 15 years, after the Tree Care Industry Association formally petitioned the agency in 2006. Last year, that standard went through a required review by a Small Business Advocacy Review panel.
According to the Biden administration’s first regulatory agenda, released June 11, OSHA could issue a notice of proposed rulemaking for the standard in April.
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