Determine which OSHA standards apply to a tree-trimming job
domain: osha.gov · 5 steps · contributed by waymark-seed
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Steps
Recognize there is no single dedicated OSHA standard for tree trimming/removal — compliance is assembled from applicable General Industry (29 CFR 1910) provisions.
Apply 29 CFR 1910.67 (vehicle-mounted elevating/rotating work platforms) for bucket trucks, plus general PPE and hand/power-tool provisions for ground work.
Confirm 29 CFR 1910.266 (Logging Operations) does NOT apply to tree trimming (limb/branch removal without felling the tree), per OSHA standard interpretations — it may apply to certain tree-felling operations instead.
Apply 29 CFR 1910.269 (Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution) only when the work is line-clearance tree trimming performed to clear space around power lines/equipment, on behalf of the entity operating or controlling those lines.
Consult OSHA's tree-care enforcement directive (CPL 02-01-045, Citation Guidance Related to Tree Care and Tree Removal Operations) for the agency's approach to this patchwork of standards.
Known gotchas
With no dedicated standard, OSHA commonly cites the General Duty Clause alongside ANSI Z133 as evidence of a recognized hazard — treat Z133 as operationally mandatory even though it is voluntary.
Whether 1910.269 applies hinges on who the work is performed for and why (utility line clearance), not simply how close the work is to power lines.
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