OSHA Alerts Midwest Employers About Rollovers Involving Riding Mowers

Following the deaths of two workers in September who were killed when the riding mowers they were operating rolled over, OSHA’s Region 7 issued an alert calling for employers to conduct worker training on the hazards they face on the job. According to OSHA, 35 workers in the United States have died in lawnmower rollover incidents since the autumn of 2019.

The recent fatalities occurred four days apart in Missouri and Nebraska. Region 7 includes those states as well as Iowa and Kansas.

In a statement, OSHA Regional Administrator Billie Kizer noted that OSHA’s investigations of the tragedies are ongoing. “Employers are responsible for training workers to recognize and avoid hazards, especially when it comes to mowing grass on slopes and in poor terrain,” Kizer said. “Lawn mower injuries happen at many types of work sites—from office parks to golf courses and from highway medians to public parks—and, at times, workers are assigned lawn maintenance tasks only as needed, which can put workers less familiar with operating these machines safely at risk.”

OSHA guidance on riding mowers is available on the agency’s website.