Category: Landscaping

Protecting Workers and the Public from Wildfire Smoke

  The Canadian wildfires highlight the hazard of wildfire smoke, an issue faced annually by many communities across the United States. In this blog, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and National Center for Environmental Health teamed up with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide Read More >

Posted on by Maryann M. D’Alessandro, PhD; Meghan Kiederer, BA; Joseph Schall, MA; Maria Mirabelli, PhD, MPH; Susan Stone, MS; CAPT Lisa Delaney, MS, CIH; CAPT Christa Hale, DVM, MPH, DACVPM (Epi); Lew Radonovich, MD4 Comments

Seasoned Employees in the Landscaping Services Industry

As in many other industries, the average age for workers in the landscaping services industry* has been rising, from 38.1 in 2011 to 40.9 in 2019. While knowledge and skills generally improve with age, physical abilities such as strength, reaction time, and balance may decline. Typically, the injury rate for older workers is lower than Read More >

Posted on by Barbara M. Alexander, PhD, PE, CIH; Steven J. Wurzelbacher, PhD; Rachel J. Zeiler, BA; Steven J. Naber, PhD; Harpriya Kaur, PhD; James Grosch, PhD; and Asha Brogan, BA4 Comments

Workers’ Compensation Data Sheds Light on Hazards in Landscaping

Landscaping is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States, with higher-than-average rates of both fatal and nonfatal injuries when compared to all industries. Jobs include landscape construction, tree care services, lawn and cemetery care, right of way maintenance, seasonal property maintenance (such as snow removal), and weed control (except crop). NIOSH established Read More >

Posted on by Barbara M. Alexander, PhD; Steven J. Wurzelbacher, PhD; Rachel J. Zeiler, BA; and Steven J. Naber3 Comments

Reducing the Risk of Rhabdomyolysis and Other Heat-Related Illnesses in Landscaping and Tree Care Workers

Grounds maintenance workers, including landscaping and tree care workers, may be exposed to numerous physical, chemical, and biological hazards while performing work, especially during the summer months [1,2]. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics [3], grounds maintenance workers are more than two times more likely to be injured on the job compared with all Read More >

Posted on by Sarah Hughes, MPH and Susan Afanuh, MA2 Comments

A Storm of Summer Perils: The Battle for Healthy Outdoor Workers Is No Game

  In HBO’s Game of Thrones, the “House Stark” clan often loudly proclaim that “winter is coming.” Here at House NIOSH, we remind our safety and health professionals, employers, and workers that, THE DAYS ARE LONG AND FULL OF HAZARDS. When facing the opening salvos of the Battle for Healthy Outdoor Workers, be sure to Read More >

Posted on by Brenda Jacklitsch, PhD, MS4 Comments

Grounds for Change: Reducing Noise Exposure in the Grounds Management Professions – Part 2

Workers in grounds management professions, which includes landscaping, lawn maintenance and horticulturists, are often exposed to hazardous noise while on the job. Part One of this summer series discussed some of the dangers of noise, including hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and other health issues. In addition to its negative effects on personal Read More >

Posted on by Jackie DiFrancesco BA, COHC; Asha Brogan and Bryan Beamer PhD, PE, CSP1 Comment

Grounds for Change: Reducing Noise Exposure in Grounds Management Professionals – Part 1

While the dog days of summer mean slowing down for some people, sunshine brings the busy season for those in the grounds management professions, which includes landscaping, tree care and horticulture. This summer work means breaking out tools that can create loud noise: lawn mowers, edgers, chainsaws, chippers — just to name a few. This Read More >

Posted on by Jackie DiFrancesco BA, COHC; Asha Brogan and Bryan Beamer PhD, PE, CSP7 Comments

Landscaping Safety and Health

Overview The service sector has approximately 68 million workers in industries ranging from finance to food service and real estate to recreation. The purpose of the National Occupational Research Agenda’s (NORA) sector and cross sector councils is to exchange information, form partnerships, and enhance dissemination and implementation of prevention tools. To help meet these goals, the NORA Read More >

Posted on by Cheryl F Estill, PhD, PE; Michael Foley, MA; Teresa Schnorr, PhD, and Bryan Beamer PhD, PE, CSP16 Comments

Nonstandard Work Arrangements

Who is looking out for workers in nonstandard work arrangements? As the prevalence of nonstandard work arrangements (such as temporary agency, contract, and “gig” arrangements) rises, so do concerns about workplace safety and health among this workforce. A recent article, “Nonstandard work arrangements and worker health and safety” published in the American Journal of Industrial Read More >

Posted on by John Howard, MD18 Comments

Extreme Heat: Are you prepared for summer work?

The approach of summer is a reminder to us all of the need to recognize, and act to prevent, the harmful effects of excessive heat. The White House has designated May 23–27, 2016, as Extreme Heat Week, during which Federal agencies will work with community planners and public health officials to enhance community preparedness for Read More >

Posted on by Brenda Jacklitsch, MS; and Joanna Watson, MSc, DPhil11 Comments

Preventing Wood Chipper Fatalities

  Last week, a 19-year-old North Carolina teen was killed after being pulled feet first into a wood chipper (see news report).  It was his first day on the job. Self-feeding mobile wood chippers commonly used during tree trimming operations consist of a feed mechanism, knives mounted on a rotating chipper disc or drum, and Read More >

Posted on by Dawn Castillo, MPH; CAPT Cheryl F. Estill, PhD; and Robert Harrison, MD13 Comments

Protect Yourself at Work: A Series of Print and Video Materials for Spanish-speaking Immigrant Workers

Recently, NIOSH released a series of multi-media communication products for organizations that serve Spanish-speaking immigrant workers entitled Protéjase en el trabajo (Protect yourself at work). This series of products is a result of a multi-faceted project that includes 1) a partnership between NIOSH and the Mexican Consulates in the U.S. and 2) the development of Read More >

Posted on by Pietra Check, Amy Filko, Mike Flynn, Nura Sadeghpour9 Comments

Palm Tree Worker Suffocated by Palm Fronds – Another Death in California

  On August 13, 2015, another worker was suffocated by palm fronds in California (see news report). This is at least the fourth similar fatality since the California Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program (CA/FACE) program issued a report and video on this hazard in February 2014. The drought in the Western U.S. may have Read More >

Posted on by Robert Harrison, MD28 Comments

Workplace Medical Mystery Solved: Influenza-like Illness Sickens Golf Course Worker

Workplace Medical Mystery Solved: Golf Course Worker Becomes Ill with an Influenza-like Illness With five golf course maintenance staff sick, the golf course superintendent was suspicious. Either something really contagious is going around or there is something at the course making the staff sick, he thought. Not taking any chances, the superintendent informed the course’s Read More >

Posted on by Stephanie Stevens, MA6 Comments

Workplace Medical Mystery: Influenza-like Illness Sickens Golf Course Worker

Chris was thrilled to have landed a summer job working at the local golf course. He was going to be a junior in college and he knew forthcoming summers would entail internships in a dark, windowless office. Chris loves playing golf and  this job would give him the opportunity to play for free whenever he had the Read More >

Posted on by Stephanie Stevens, MA14 Comments

Safety and Health for Immigrant Workers

  The United States workforce, like the population in general, is becoming more ethnically diverse. “We are and always will be a nation of immigrants,” President Obama stated recently in announcing his initiative on immigration reform. The Pew Research Center’s Hispanic Trends Project estimates that immigrants will make up roughly 23% of adults of working Read More >

Posted on by Michael Flynn, MA23 Comments

Preventing Skin Cancer

As the nation’s doctor, I recently launched a Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer to address the rising rates of skin cancer in the U.S. While nearly 5 million people are treated for skin cancer each year in the U.S., with an annual cost of $8.1 billion, most cases are preventable. Although people with Read More >

Posted on by RADM Boris D. Lushniak, M.D., M.P.H, Acting Surgeon General.35 Comments

Immigrant Worker Safety and Health

Immigrant workers face a disproportionate risk for workplace injury and illness. At the Safety, Health and Social Justice for Immigrant Workers - Lessons from the NIOSH Environmental Justice Projects session of the 2008 American Public Health Association's annual conference "Public Health Without Borders" (October 25-29), a panel will present the experiences from six of the environmental justice projects addressing safety and health concerns of immigrants working in farming, poultry processing, and restaurant and domestic work. For those unable to attend the session, we would appreciate feedback through this blog. Specifically, what experience have others had with developing successful interventions for immigrant workers? Additionally, what types of materials are needed to better assist safety and health professional to provide information and training to foreign-born workers? Read More >

Posted on by Administrator18 CommentsTags

Summer Hazards for Workers

During the summer, more workers are performing job tasks outdoors ranging from construction work to farming to road paving and painting. While the hazards can be different from those found in indoor environments, there are still practical ways to protect workers from outdoor hazards.  Read More >

Posted on by Administrator27 CommentsTags