Section 10. Scope, purpose, and applicability

A. This regulation contains arboriculture safety requirements for pruning, repairing, maintaining, and removing trees; cutting brush; and for using equipment in such operations. (Note: Terms specific to the safe practice of arboriculture are defined in 16VAC25-73-20.)

B. The purpose of this regulation is to provide safety criteria for arborists and other workers engaged in arboricultural operations.

C. This regulation is intended to apply to all employers engaged in the business, trade, or performance of arboriculture, including employers engaged in tree pruning, repairing, maintaining; removing trees; cutting brush; or performing pest or soil management during tree care operations who hire one or more persons to perform such work. This regulation may require situational modifications in response to personnel emergencies and is not intended to limit the options available to emergency responders. This regulation does not apply to nonaboricultural landscaping operations. This regulation does not apply to line-clearance tree trimming activities as defined in 16VAC25-73-20. Such activities are covered by 16VAC25-90-1910.269. This regulation does not apply to logging operations covered by 16VAC25-90-1910.266. This regulation does not apply to tree removal activities where the primary objective is land clearing in preparation for construction, real estate development, rights-of-way for new utility installations, or other related activities, unless directly supervised by a qualified arborist or qualified line-clearance arborist. Such activities are covered by 16VAC25-90-1910.266.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 27, Issue 15, eff. April 27, 2011.

Statutory Authority

§ 40.1-22 of the Code of Virginia.