For greenhouse growers, garden center operators, floral business owners, and landscape/lawn care operators, complying with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements is a key component in helping maintain a safe workplace.
OSHA requirements can feel complex, especially when you’re managing seasonal workers or operating specialized equipment. The good news is you don’t have to navigate the process alone.
Below, we’ll share how you can help strengthen your compliance program and prepare for future OSHA visits. We also recommend you work with your insurance provider, as they should have a solid understanding of your operations and unique exposures.
Why OSHA compliance matters
OSHA’s mission is to help workers experience safe and healthy working conditions. If you follow their guidelines, you’re also fostering a workplace culture of safety that can help:
Reduce the occurrences of injuries and illnesses
Lower your risk exposure
Maintain productivity
Protect your business from potential lawsuits
Keep insurance costs in check
And remember, it’s more than about being compliant. A safer workplace creates an environment where workers feel valued, helping all aspects of your business, including employee morale, retention, and performance.
Key OSHA standards for horticultural businesses
Horticultural and landscaping tasks can fall under OSHA general industry standards or OSHA agriculture standards, depending on the work performed. Understanding which standards apply—and when—is essential for meeting compliance requirements.
Key OSHA standards relevant to horticultural businesses include:
Hazard communication
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Respiratory protection
Machine guarding
Electrical safety
Ladder or elevated-work safety
Recordkeeping, including forms 300, 300A, and 301
Review these standards and work with your insurance provider to implement strategies to address them.
Step-by-step guide to navigating an OSHA inspection
Most OSHA inspections are unannounced. Having a plan in place to handle visits can help inspections go more smoothly.
Why would OSHA visit your business?
OSHA may get involved in response to a workplace injury, an employee complaint, an agency referral, or a national emphasis program.
OSHA also maintains an industry list of high-risk employers with an above-average incident rate—another element that can trigger inspections.
How do you prepare for an OSHA inspection?
You can’t predict when an OSHA inspection may occur, but you can be prepared for an unannounced visit. Stay ready by:
Reviewing OSHA standards regularly
Conducting in-house safety audits
Maintaining updated training and documentation
Designating a point of contact and back-up for OSHA visits
Keeping OSHA logs easily accessible
What should you expect during an on-site OSHA inspection?
Introduction: You’ll meet the inspector, have the opportunity to inspect their credentials, and learn the purpose of their visit
Opening conference: You’ll get an explanation of the scope of the inspection and the opportunity to answer initial questions
Facility walk-through: The inspector will tour your facility or jobsite, observe specific work practices, and examine equipment
Closing conference: The inspector will discuss preliminary findings and next steps
What are recommended actions during an OSHA inspection?
Be courteous, cooperative, and respectful
Ask questions and confirm you understand the observations
If minor hazards are flagged, correct them immediately if possible
Take notes and mirror the same photos and videos your inspector takes
What happens after an OSHA inspection?
If OSHA identifies violations or hazards, you may receive:
A citation that outlines the issues
Required abatement steps
Deadlines for corrections
If you disagree with the findings, you have the right to contest them through OSHA’s formal appeals process. While not required, it’s typically recommended to request an informal conference before officially appealing the citation(s).
You have 15 working days to file an appeal once you receive your citation(s). The informal conference needs to take place within the 15-working-day deadline in case you’re not able to come to an agreement and desire to go through the formal appeal process.
Special considerations for horticultural operations
Horticultural operations face unique risks and therefore have additional, industry-specific safety requirements, including:
Seasonal and temporary worker safety protocols
Chemical handling procedures for chemicals such as fuel, shop/maintenance chemicals, cleaners/disinfecting products, fertilizers, or pesticides
Mobile and powered equipment safety, like tractors, carts, or forklifts
Walk-in cooler and freezer safety
Ergonomic risks in repetitive tasks, like floral prep, harvesting, and production activities
OSHA recordkeeping and reporting
Depending on your location and nature of services, you may be required to maintain OSHA injury and illness records, including:
OSHA 300 log: Record of injuries and illnesses
OSHA 300A: Annual summary posted each year
OSHA 301: Incident report for each recordable case
Serious injuries—including those that lead to hospitalizations, amputations, loss of an eye, or fatalities—must be reported directly to OSHA within a specified timeframe. As an organization, keeping accurate and confidential records is essential for maintaining compliance.
FAQs about OSHA requirements
You can access a dedicated OSHA official standards page to help you develop a strong compliance strategy that reduces risks and keeps employees safe.
OSHA’s Training Requirements in OSHA Standards publication can help you determine what training is required for your workplace.
Frequent issues involve inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and PPE assessments, forklift operation and training, machine guarding, hazard communication, and slip-trip-and-fall hazards.
Yes. Under OSHA, both seasonal and temporary workers must receive the same protections and training as permanent employees.
Work with your insurance provider
Compliance isn’t just about meeting regulations—it helps create a safer, more resilient business. With evolving OSHA standards and increased enforcement, staying informed is more important than ever.
Work with your insurance provider to help you through the process. At Hortica®, we’re solely dedicated to horticultural businesses, and we can provide resources to help you understand your OSHA regulatory obligations.
Driver fatigue: Prevention tips for drivers and business owners
Workplace fire safety: 10 tips for horticultural businesses
Make safety a top priority at your garden center
The information in this article is for informational or entertainment purposes only. View our disclaimer by going to terms and conditions and clicking on Learning Center disclaimer in the table of contents.