Background

Tree care work often involves workers climbing or being hoisted into trees. Workers also use potentially dangerous tools and equipment, such as chain saws, stump grinders, woodchippers, cranes, and mobile bucket trucks, to perform tree care work. During the performance of tree care and on-site support of tree care, workers are generally exposed to a variety of common hazards, including: falling from trees, being struck by falling trees or branches, and being injured or killed during chainsaw or woodchipper operation, as well as exposure to energized power lines. This rule would be a new standard in 29 CFR Part 1910: Tree Care Operations.

About the Rule

The primary focus of the Tree Care Operations rule would be to protect workers who prune, repair, maintain, or remove trees (tree care), or perform on-site support of tree care (e.g., workers who pick up and dispose of limbs or branches). Among other requirements, a rule would address fall protection and falling object protection, traffic control, and the safe use of tools and equipment.

The agency has thus far conducted the following rulemaking activity:

• Published Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM), September 15, 2008
• Held Stakeholder Meeting, July 13, 2016
• Convened Small Business Advocacy Review (SBAR) Panel Teleconferences, April – May 2020

The next step in the rulemaking process is to publish a proposed rule.