Incident Record
Landscaping worker attacked by bees while preparing to cut tree, jumped from boom lift and fractured femur
OSHA reported that a landscaping worker preparing to cut a tree disturbed a colony of bees, jumped from a boom lift onto a roof while under attack, and suffered a fractured femur requiring hospitalization.
Record ID: CA-VENTURA-2021-0714
This record is part of a first-pass incident research dataset. Records, categories, and source notes may be updated as additional information is reviewed and verified.
Date
2021-07-14
Location
Thousand Oaks / 829 Brush Hill Rd., Ventura County, CA
State
CA
Record Type
Occupational Incident
Trigger / Activity
Tree Work / Landscaping / Brush Clearing
Severity
Hospitalized / Traumatic Injury
Bee ID Status
Bee ID Unknown
Aggression Classification
Outdoor-work defensive bee attack / hidden-colony disturbance
Incident Summary
OSHA reported that a landscaping worker preparing to cut a tree disturbed a colony of bees, jumped from a boom lift onto a roof while under attack, and suffered a fractured femur requiring hospitalization.
Public-Safety Lesson
Tree and lift crews need stop-work protocols for sudden bee activity and a safer descent plan than panic exit from elevated equipment.
Impact Flags
Human Fatality
No
Human Hospitalized
Yes
Animal Fatality
No
Responder Involved
Yes
Source Information
Source: OSHA
Source Strength: A - Official / Government