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Contact: Heather Finney
Phone: (703) 736-9666
E-mail: Heather Finney

For Immediate Release

OSHA SIGNS NEW ALLIANCE WITH PLANET
– Focus on material handling; slip, trip, and fall hazards; and motor vehicle safety –

HERNDON, Va., November 3, 2008 — A new Alliance between the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) will address vehicle safety issues and provide employers and employees in the landscape services industry with information on reducing and preventing exposure to material handling, slips, trips, and fall hazards.

“Many of the injuries suffered by employees working in this industry are preventable,” says Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke Jr. “Our Alliance Program has had great success in developing products and resources that identify and offer solutions to common hazards. We are pleased to join with an organization that values occupational safety and health and look forward to a successful relationship.”

Through the Alliance, OSHA and PLANET will collaborate on developing training resources for industry employers and employees, including youth and those with low literacy levels and limited English-speaking abilities. Information will be disseminated through electronic media and assistance tools, OSHA’s and PLANET’s Web sites, and other events such as the Green Industry Conference, GIE+EXPO, and Student Career Days.

PLANET Safety and Risk Management Committee Chair Laurie Erdman, of the Bruce Company of Wisconsin, Inc., says, “PLANET, its Safety and Risk Management Committee, and OSHA share a common denominator — safe working environments. Through this alliance we intend to further identify workplace exposures and eliminate injuries.” She emphasizes, “Regulations set forth by OSHA are the foundation for worker safety and are paramount to injury prevention. Together we will continue to create programs and develop training materials so employers can educate workers about the importance of preliminary planning. We are excited to move forward in our collaborative effort to address hazards and improve our industry’s safety record.”

“PLANET continues to be dedicated to working cooperatively with OSHA to provide green industry employers and their employees with safety and health information, guidance, and access to training resources to help them avoid preventable injuries,” says Jason Cupp, CLP, of Highland Outdoor and PLANET president. “OSHA has been a strong partner for PLANET and has helped further our joint objective of improving safety and health in the green industry. We look forward to continuing this relationship and executing our safety and health initiatives.”

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure the safety and health of America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace safety and health. For more information, visit osha.gov.

PLANET is the association of members who create and maintain the QUALITY OF LIFE in communities across America. With more than 4,200 member companies and affiliates, these firms and their employees represent more than 100,000 green industry professionals. For more information about PLANET, visit LandcareNetwork.org or call (800) 395-2522.