OSHA Inspection: STEVE'S TREE SERVICE

Issued

May 8, 1995

Abate by

May 11, 1995

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not
furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from
recognized hazards that
were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to
employees in that employees
were exposed to:  the hazard of a tree falling while climbing/working in a
tree that would not
support their weight.
a)  Backyard of 133 Lower North Shore Drive, Branchville, NJ:  Employee
was working
in a tree stem that would not support his weight, on or about 2/14/95.
"Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this hazard is
to:"
1.  Tie into and work from a sound tree.
2.  Remove the tree while working from an aerial lift or similar device.
3.  Fell the tree while working from the ground without climbing.
4.  Inspect and examine the tree from the ground for trunk or root decay.
Inspections to include
but not limited to sounding with a hammer; probing with a drill, knife or
stiff
wire; core the
stem with a increment borer; visual conditions of the bark.
5.  Mechanical felling of the tree.