Bituminous Insurance Companies

Landscape Worker Fatalities and Prevention Methods

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has published a new four-page fact sheet, Fatal Injuries among Landscape Services Workers (NIOSH Publication No. 2008-144), that is intended to help identify potential hazards and possible solutions to specific activities within the landscape services industry.

According to NIOSH, between 2003 and 2006, an average of 197 landscape services workers died each year from on-the-job injuries. Although landscape services workers make up 0.8 percent of the U.S. workforce, they experienced 3.5 percent of the total occupational fatalities.

The NIOSH fact sheet provides the following data on how the workers died:

• The fatality rate was about 25 deaths per 100,000 workers – similar to more-recognized high-risk industries, such as agriculture and mining.
• Deaths due to transportation incidents - 33 percent for landscape worker versus 43 percent for all U.S. industry.
• Deaths due to falls to lower levels – 22 percent for landscape workers versus 12 percent for U.S. workforce.
• Deaths due to struck by falling objects – 17 percent for landscape workers versus 6.3 percent for U.S. workforce.
• Deaths due to electrocutions – 9.8 percent for landscape workers versus 4.4 percent for U.S. workforce.

The fact sheet recommends the following prevention measures:

• Understand and comply with all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations that apply to the landscape services operations and tasks.
• Develop, implement, and enforce a comprehensive safety program that includes written rules and safe work procedures. A joint health and safety committee with employees and supervisors should be considered.
• Conduct an initial and daily jobsite survey before beginning work to identify all hazards and implement appropriate controls.
• Provide specific training for hazards, such as power lines and other sources of electricity, tree trimming and felling, falls from heights, roadway vehicle operations, and hand and portable power tools use.
• Train operators of off-road machinery and other specialized equipment to follow manufacturers’ recommended procedures for safe operation, service, and maintenance.
• Monitor workers during periods of high heat stress/strain and remind workers of the signs of heat-related illness and the need to consume sufficient water during hot conditions.

The NIOSH Fact sheet may be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2008-144/pdfs/2008-144.pdf.

COPYRIGHT ©2008, ISO Services Properties, Inc.

The information contained in this publication was obtained from sources believed to be reliable. ISO Services Properties, Inc., its companies and employees make no guarantee of results and assume no liability in connection with either the information herein contained or the safety suggestions herein made. Moreover, it cannot be assumed that every acceptable safety procedure is contained herein or that abnormal or unusual circumstances may not warrant or require further or additional procedure.