Twenty Years of Progress. Momentum is Building.
For nearly two decades, TCIA has led the effort to establish a dedicated OSHA safety standard for tree care operations. Today, the rulemaking process is closer to a proposed federal standard than at any point in its history.
A modern Tree Care Standard will improve worker safety, create regulatory clarity, and establish consistent expectations for employers, employees, and OSHA compliance officers.
Current Status: OSHA continues development of the proposed Tree Care Operations Standard (RIN 1218-AD04). Recent developments indicate continued movement toward publication of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM).
Recent Progress: Momentum Is Building
The past two years have brought several encouraging signs that OSHA’s Tree Care Standard is moving forward.
Recent developments include:
- Continued placement of the rule in OSHA’s regulatory agenda at the Proposed Rule stage.
- Ongoing agency work on draft regulatory language.
- Growing recognition within OSHA advisory bodies that tree care presents unique hazards requiring industry-specific requirements.
- Release of the updated ANSI Z133 standard, providing an established foundation of industry best practices.
- Increased congressional engagement and bipartisan interest in seeing the rulemaking completed.
TCIA’s Advocacy Work: What We’ve Been Doing
TCIA’s role extends far beyond simply waiting for OSHA to act.
TCIA’s role extends far beyond simply asking for OSHA to act.
Over the years, TCIA has:
- Petitioned OSHA to initiate tree care rulemaking.
- Participated in stakeholder engagement efforts.
- Supported development and adoption of ANSI Z133.
- Educated lawmakers and regulators about the industry’s safety challenges.
- Mobilized members to contact Congress and OSHA leadership.
- Made the Tree Care Standard TCIA’s top federal advocacy priority.
Why it Still Matters: Every Delay Has Consequences
Tree care remains one of the most hazardous professions in the United States.
TCIA’s analysis documented 243 tree care fatalities between 2020 and 2023, averaging approximately 61 fatalities per year. More than two-thirds involved workers with fewer than one year of experience.
At present, OSHA regulates much of the industry through a patchwork of standards designed for other sectors rather than arboriculture. This creates confusion for employers, workers, inspectors, and insurers alike.
A dedicated standard would provide:
- Greater worker protection
- Clearer compliance requirements
- More consistent enforcement
- Better training expectations
- Reduced uncertainty for employers
What Happens Next? The Road Ahead
Before a final standard can be adopted, OSHA must publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), receive public comments, evaluate stakeholder feedback, and complete the formal rulemaking process.
TCIA expects to remain actively engaged throughout every step of that process, ensuring the final rule reflects real-world tree care operations and promotes practical, effective safety outcomes.
How You Can Help: You Voice Matters
You can support this important effort by:
- Responding to TCIA Action Alerts
- Sharing jobsite safety stories
- Meeting with elected officials
- Hosting congressional site visits
- Participating in Advocacy 101 programs
- Submitting comments once a proposed rule is issued
About the Standard
Our Efforts
Congressional Support
2024 Bipartisan Bicameral Letter to the Department of Labor from Senator John Hickenlooper, Senator Mike Braun, Representative Kevin Kiley, and Representative Alma Adams
2008 Bipartisan Senate Letter to the Department of Labor from Senators Edward Kennedy, Patty Murray, Michael B. Enzi, and Johnny Isakson
2007 Bipartisan House Letter to the Department of Labor from Representatives George Miller, Howard McKeon, Lynn Woolsey, Joe Wilson, and Carol Shea-Porter
The Tree Care Industry Association represents approximately 1,400 businesses engaged in commercial arboriculture (tree care) and related industries in the United States that employ more than 150,000 people, or nearly seventy-five percent of all tree care workers in the country. TCIA is committed to the safety of the industry’s workforce and develops safety and education programs, standards of tree care practice, and management information for tree and landscape firms around the world. To enhance safety in the industry, TCIA launched and operates the Certified Treecare Safety Professionals program, the Model Company Safety Program, and the Arborist Safety Training Institute.