Electricity and 

Tree Care Work

A Deadly Combination
Contact with electricity is one of the leading 

causes of death for tree care workers. Here are just 

a few examples of electrocutions that could have 

been prevented:

y A 26-year-old landscaper1 was electrocuted 

while trimming tree branches from a portable 

work platform. He had been using a pole saw 

to trim tree branches. The pole saw came 

in contact with the energized overhead 

power lines and he was electrocuted and 

then ignited. There were no co-workers or 

supervisors on the site when the incident 

happened. He died later that day of his injuries.

y A tree trimmer was electrocuted2 while 

trimming tree branches in a residential front 

yard. He was hired by a homeowner to trim 

the branches of a tree that was growing 

into utility lines. He was attached to the tree 

with climbing spurs and fall protection while 

cutting the branch with a chain saw. The 

branch that was cut did not fully detach from 

1. www.cdc.gov/niosh/face/stateface/ma/13MA019.html

2. www.cdc.gov/niosh/face/stateface/ca/11CA003.html

Cover photo: Tree Care Industry Association
the tree and struck the energized power line, 

sending an electric current into the victim’s 

body. The investigation determined that the 

worker had not followed requirements on line 

clearance and proximity to energized lines. 

y In New Jersey, a 21-year-old landscaper3 was 

electrocuted when a felled tree landed on an 

overhead power line and caused the power 

line to drop. The investigation determined that 

the family-owned business had no written 

safety and health policy. 

This publication is intended for small business 

owners and front line supervisors who perform 

regular tree-trimming operations (i.e., operations 

not involving line-clearance tree trimming).

Don’t become part of a tragic headline. Be sure 

that you and your employees know the risks of 

tree work near sources of electricity, and prepare 

them by doing the following:

3. www.cdc.gov/niosh/face/stateface/nj/01nj117.html
Be Prepared

y Train workers about potential hazards in a 

language that they understand.

y Before any work begins, survey the area 

for hazards.

y Have an emergency plan.

y Electricity can travel through the ground in 

some cases where you don’t expect it — be 

sure that workers wear properly insulated 

footwear and other required PPE.

y Consider asking the utility company to 

de-energize nearby power lines.

Follow Safe Work Practices

y Maintain a distance of at least 10 feet from 

overhead lines (and more than 10 feet if the 

voltage to ground is over 50 kV (see 29 CFR 

1910.333(c)(3)(i)); workers should not rely 

solely on protective clothing to protect against 

electrical hazards. 

y Ensure that workers have no direct contact with 

an energized conductor, such as a power line.
y Ensure there is no indirect contact with an 

energized conductor, such as a tree limb or 

tool touching a power line.

y Ensure that workers are not standing close 

to grounding elements. The power can travel 

through the ground.

Provide the Right Gear

y Employers must provide proper gloves and 

shoes for hazards present where tree work is 

being performed.

y When electrical hazards are present, 

employers must also provide rope that is 

free of moisture and contaminants and that 

provides appropriate insulation.

y Always provide fall protection for climbers.

Be Alert

y Assume that all lines are energized at all times.

y Anticipate when limbs might fall onto 

power sources.

y It only takes a moment for a fatality to occur.
Employers that are hired to clear trees from 

power lines must follow applicable OSHA 

requirements. See, for example, 29 CFR 1910.268, 

29 CFR 1910.269, and 29 CFR 1910 Subpart S. 

For more information about OSHA’s standards 

addressing the hazards associated with clearing 

trees from around power lines, see the latest 

update (Oct. 5, 2015).4

Remember, it is the employer’s responsibility to 

comply with OSHA rules and keep workers safe. 

4. www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owasrch.search_form?p_doc_

type=FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_toc_level=2&p_keyvalue=TOC2015

Call OSHA. We can help. It’s confidential.

1-800-321-OSHA (6742) • www.osha.gov

OSHA 3861-07 2016