OSHA has inspected Tree Wise Men LLC 2 times in Wisconsin since 2022.
The latest one began on Oct 2, 2024 on a referral, in Whitewater.
Those inspections ended with 3 citation items: 3 serious.
Penalties were first proposed at $17,227 and now stand at $15,407, 11% lower after settlements or reviews.
the General Duty Clause comes up most often in these citations: 2 items under Section 5(a)(1).
How that compares: the median penalty per cited inspection for staffing, cleaning and waste services employers since 2015 is $2,201, and Tree Wise Men LLC averages $7,704 (2 cited inspections).
1 inspection on this page followed a fatal incident.
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Watch this company7723 Hackett Road, Whitewater, WI 53190 · Landscaping Services · OSHA's record · Phone and website on Google Maps
| Citation and rule | Type | Proposed | Current | Issued | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citation 1, item 1 OSH Act Section 5(a)(1) · General Duty Clause |
Serious | $7,282 | $5,462 | Mar 17, 2025 | Final |
2010 West Broadway, Madison, WI 53713 · Landscaping Services · OSHA's record · Phone and website on Google Maps
Incident on Mar 1, 2022 (fatal): Tree worker is electrocuted by fallen overhead power line
At 1:50 p.m. on March 1, 2022, an employee was working for a landscaping service. He was working on the ground, collecting and cutting tree sections. A second employee was working as the operator of an aerial bucket lift. He was cutting tree sections to be lowered by a grapple knuckleboom crane, which was operated by a third employee. The crane was a truck-mounted PM-44 articulating boom crane, outfitted with a KRPAN 60-inch (1.5-meter) log grapple. The log grapple or hook had a sling attached for carrying the sections. The crane lowered the sections to the ground for the groundworker to collect and make further cuts. The sections being cut and lowered were over 30 feet (9.1 meters) in length. There were live (energized) overhead power lines nearby. A tree section being lowered struck the top phase conductor. The conductor broke and landed near where the employee on the ground was positioned. He was electrocuted. He was pronounced dead at the site. The event occurred outdoors, with fair weather and low wind speeds. Weather was most likely not a factor. Measurements were made or collected after the incident. From information provided by the electric utility and the employer, the overhead power line was energized at 69 kV. The uppermost phase conductor was approximately 48 feet (14.6 meters) above the ground. From the manual, the PM-44 articulating boom crane outfitted with a KRPAN 60-inch log grapple had a horizontal reach of 43 feet (13.1 meters) and a vertical reach of 54 feet 11 inches (16.7 meters). The employer provided a graph that showed a horizontal reach of 45 feet (13.7 meters) and a vertical reach of 55 feet (16.8 meters). From sales information, the aerial bucket lift had a 56-foot (17.1-meter) lift height. The distance from the tree line to the power lines was measured from on the ground. It was about 20 feet (6.1 meters). The employer said in a written response that there was a safe zone of 30 feet (9.1 meters) between any live conductor and the trees.
| Citation and rule | Type | Proposed | Current | Issued | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citation 1, item 1a OSH Act Section 5(a)(1) · General Duty Clause |
Serious | $5,801 | $9,945 | Jul 14, 2022 | Final |
| Citation 1, item 1b 29 CFR 1910.333(c)(3) · Working near live electrical parts |
Serious | $4,144 | $0 | Jul 14, 2022 | Final |
Current text from the Code of Federal Regulations. Some citations were issued under older wording.
29 CFR 1910.333(c)(3)
(3) Overhead lines. If work is to be performed near overhead lines, the lines shall be deenergized and grounded, or other protective measures shall be provided before work is started. If the lines are to be deenergized, arrangements shall be made with the person or organization that operates or controls the electric circuits involved to deenergize and ground them. If protective measures, such as guarding, isolating, or insulating are provided, these precautions shall prevent employees from contacting such lines directly with any part of their body or indirectly through conductive materials, tools, or equipment.
OSH Act Section 5(a)(1)
Each employer shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA enforcement data. A citation is OSHA's allegation; employers can contest it, and the status column shows where each item stands. Something wrong on this page? Tell us.