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Tree Care Work: Falls and Falling Object Hazards

There are many serious hazards in tree care work. This Hazard Bulletin focuses on 

the hazards from falls and falling objects which can result in serious injuries or death. 

These hazards also account for a high proportion of the tree care fatalities investigated 

by Federal OSHA.

Fatal Incidents: Two Examples

The following fatal incident descriptions involve the 

serious hazards of falls and falling objects:

Falling Object Incident 

A tree care worker was dragging trimmed 

branches to a mobile wood chipper. A second 

worker, a trimmer, was working from a mobile 

bucket truck. The trimmer was piecing out a large 

maple tree scheduled for removal from the rear 

of a residence. The trimmer cut a piece of a limb 

that was approximately one foot in diameter 

and 20 inches long. When the limb fell, it struck 

the tree care worker on the head, killing him. An 

investigation of this incident determined that 

ground personnel should not have been in the treetrimming area, or “drop zone”, while the trimmer 

was performing overhead work. The employer 

was required to establish a system of verbal and 

visual communications that the trimmer could use 

to inform ground personnel to stand clear when an 

overhead hazard existed.

Fall Incident 

A worker climbed a large hickory tree to remove 

the top of the tree. After he cut one section off 

the top of the tree and was roping down a second 

section, the trunk of the tree he was working from 

snapped in half. This caused the worker and the 

entire top of the tree to fall approximately 65 feet 

to the ground, killing the worker. The employer 

could have prevented this incident by performing a 

preliminary examination of the tree before starting 

work. A thorough preliminary examination would 

have shown that the tree could not support the 

forces resulting from rigging and roping down cut 

tree sections.

Prevention

Before beginning any tree care operation, 

employers need to:

•	 Assess the work site for fall and falling object 

hazards. Assess the sloped ground where 

ladders or equipment will be used to prevent 

falls from equipment overturns and ladder 

slippage; nearby overhead objects or structures; 

and weather-related hazards.

•	 Have a qualified arborist survey the worksite 

and identify the types of trees involved and 

possible hazards related to tree structure. The 

qualified arborist would identify fall hazards and 

HAZARD BULLETIN

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falling object hazards due to tree condition. The 

American National Standard Institute’s (ANSI) 

Z133 consensus standard on tree care work 

defines “qualified arborist.”

•	 Determine if rigging is necessary and, if so, that 

workers can use it safely. This determination 

helps prevent sections of the tree from falling 

while performing tree care work. 

•	 Determine if workers will need to climb or use 

aerial lifts. In making this determination, ensure 

that:

o Ladders are:

− Well maintained and not defective, such as 

having missing or broken parts; 

− Kept at least 10 feet away from power lines 

and other electric equipment. For lines and 

equipment over 50 kV, the distance should 

be 10 feet plus 4 inches for every 10 kV over 

50 kV.†

− Inspected before each use, and remove 

damaged or defective ladders;

− Secured to avoid slippage; and

− Used according to the manufacturer’s 

instructions.

o Aerial lifts are:

− Maintained and properly set up for use;

− Used according to the manufacturer’s 

instructions;

− Not used as cranes to lift or hoist tree parts 

or material unless designed for that purpose;

− Only used with fall protection equipment 

including tie-off; and

− Kept at least 10 feet away from power lines 

and other electric equipment. For lines and 

equipment over 50 kV, the distance should 

be 10 feet plus 4 inches for every 10 kV over 

50 kV.†

o Workers who climb trees are trained on:

− Climbing techniques;

− Using climbing spurs with gaffs that are 

compatible with the tree they will climb;

† This guidance is intended as a general warning for all tree care 

workers. In situations where employees other than qualified 

workers, as defined in 29 CFR 1910.269(a)(1)(i)(E)(1), are clearing 

trees and brush around electrical lines, minimum approach 

distances are given in 29 CFR 1910.269(r)(1). For further 

information see the Electric Power eTool at www.osha.gov/SLTC/

etools/electric_power/overheadlinework_lineclearance.html.

− Using a second means of fall protection 

such as a work-positioning lanyard or a 

second climbing line, in addition to using an 

arborist climbing line;

− Lifting and lowering hand tools and 

equipment; and

− Carrying only hand tools and equipment 

that are necessary for climbing. 

•	 Identify and provide without cost properly 

fitting personal protective equipment to protect 

workers from fall and overhead falling object 

hazards, and ensure that the workers use the 

equipment and are trained in its proper use. 

•	 Only use climbing equipment approved 

by the manufacturer for tree care work, 

including climbing lines, safety lines, personal 

fall protection equipment, and inspect all 

equipment for safe operation before starting 

work; remove damaged, defective, or worn 

equipment from service.

•	 Ensure that all workers at a tree care operation 

are trained in hazard recognition for falls from 

elevation and falling object hazards, and the use 

of personal protective equipment, such as hard 

hats, to protect against injury from overhead 

falling objects. 

•	 If workers cannot remain at least 10 feet from 

electric lines to perform tree care operations, 

contact the utility company to de-energize and 

ground the lines.†

•	 Take the following steps to protect workers 

from falling object hazards: (1) Establish and 

mark drop zones with equipment, such as 

cones, where there is a hazard of objects falling; 

(2) ensure that all workers receive training on 

procedures for entering the drop zone; (3) ensure 

that ground workers maintain a distance away 

from the tree-felling operations that is at least 

two times the height of the tree; and (4) when 

using a rope to fell a tree, workers must be at 

a distance of at least one-and-a-half times the 

height of the tree being felled.

•	 Establish a visual or audible communication 

system between overhead workers and 

workers on the ground before starting rigging 

operations for piecing out the tree. The system 

must effectively communicate when employees 

who are beneath overhead tree workers should 

stand clear of the drop zone, and when it is safe 

to approach a drop zone. A worker trained in 
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This bulletin is not a standard or regulation, and it creates no new legal obligations. It contains recommendations as well as 

descriptions of mandatory safety and health standards. The recommendations are advisory in nature, informational in content, 

and are intended to assist employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires 

employers to comply with safety and health standards and regulations promulgated by OSHA or by a state with an OSHA-approved 

state plan. In addition, the Act’s General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1), requires employers to provide their employees with a workplace 

free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm.

emergency procedures needs to be within visual 

or voice communication with the worker climbing 

and working in a tree above 12 feet in height.

•	 Provide traffic and pedestrian traffic control 

around the jobsite prior to the start of the tree 

care operation.

•	 Have emergency procedures in place prior to 

the start of the tree care operation. Determine 

if the worksite location has cellular telephone 

coverage and verify that every worker knows 

the address of the worksite in case they need 

to summon emergency services to the site. 

Establish a retreat path for ground workers so 

they can escape from falling trees.

Additional Resources for 

Employers and Workers

OSHA’s webpage on the Tree Care Industry, at 

www.osha.gov/treecare, provides many resources 

on OSHA standards, hazard recognition, safety and 

health programs, and additional resources. 

Help for Employers

OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program offers free 

and confidential advice to small businesses with 

fewer than 250 workers at a site (and no more than 

500 employees nationwide). This program provides 

free on-site compliance assistance to help employers 

identify and correct job hazards as well as improve 

injury and illness prevention programs. On-site 

consultation services are separate from enforcement 

and do not result in penalties or citations. To locate 

the OSHA consultation office nearest you, visit 

www.osha.gov or call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742).

OSHA has compliance assistance specialists 

throughout the nation located in most OSHA offices. 

Compliance assistance specialists can provide 

information to employers and workers about OSHA 

standards, short educational programs on specific 

hazards or OSHA rights and responsibilities, and 

information on additional compliance assistance 

resources. Contact your local OSHA office for more 

information by calling 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) or 

visit OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov.

Workers’ Rights

Workers have the right to:

•	 A safe workplace: working conditions that 

do not pose a risk of serious harm. The law 

requires employers to provide their employees 

with working conditions that are free of known 

dangers. The OSHA law also prohibits employers 

from retaliating against employees for 

exercising their rights under the law (including 

the right to raise a safety or health concern or to 

report an injury). For more information see 

www.whistleblowers.gov or workers’ rights.

•	 Working conditions that do not pose a risk of 

serious harm.

•	 Receive information and training (in a language 

and vocabulary they can understand) about 

workplace hazards, methods to prevent them, and 

the OSHA standards that apply to their workplace.

•	 Review records of work-related injuries and 

illnesses.

•	 Get copies of test results that find and measure 

hazards.

•	 File a complaint asking OSHA to inspect their 

workplace if they believe there is a serious 

hazard or that their employer is not following 

OSHA’s rules. When requested, OSHA will keep 

all identities confidential.

•	 Exercise their rights under the law without 

retaliation.

Contact OSHA

For questions or to get information or advice, 

to report an emergency, report a fatality or 

catastrophe, order publications, or to file a 

confidential complaint, contact your nearest OSHA 

office, visit www.osha.gov, or call OSHA at 1-800-

321-OSHA (6742), TTY 1-877-889-5627.
OSHA - HB-3731-2014

U.S. Department of Labor

DSG 06/2014www.osha.gov