Summer’s a busy (and dangerous) time for landscaping workers, OSHA says

Washington — Vehicles, moving machinery parts, falling trees, toxic chemicals and heat exposure are some of the many hazards that workers in landscaping are exposed to throughout the summer months.

OSHA is encouraging landscaping employers to pay special attention to these hazards, which can cause serious injuries or fatalities.

Bureau of Labor Statistics’ data shows that, from 2011 to 2021, 1,072 on-the-job fatalities occurred among landscaping and groundskeeping workers. In 2021 alone, 142 fatal workplace injuries were recorded. Workers being struck by vehicles was the leading cause of fatal injuries.

Other hazards:

• Fertilizer and pesticides
• Respiratory hazards
• Lack of proper PPE, particularly for hands and feet
• Machines being operated near water hazards, such as ponds and ditches
• Encounters with animals, insects and other natural hazards
• Contact with electrical power lines when trimming trees and bushes

“Landscaping can be dangerous when workers lack experience and appropriate training in a language they understand,” OSHA administrator Doug Parker said in a press release. “Too often, our inspectors find workers harmed in ways that their employers could have prevented by following federal and industry safety standards.”

New or young workers are often more susceptible to injuries on the job. Employers who hire young workers should also be aware that federal law restricts workers younger than 17 from working in hazardous occupations.