Senate Bill S6824

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6824

SPONSOR: SERRANO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, in
relation to requiring sawyer training for employees engaged in tree
maintenance

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To ensure New York State Parks Employees receive adequate training
before engaging in tree maintenance.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one adds a new section to article 3 of the parks, recreation and
historic preservation law to mandate that persons employed by the office
receive standardized. sawyer traning before engaging in tree maintenance
duties.

Section two sets the effective date.
              

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The New York. State Department of Parks, Recreation are Historic Preser-
vation oversees forestry maintenance and hazard mitigation in our State
Parks. Forestry maintenance and hazard mitigation are proactive measures
tha reduce òthe risk of trees causing harm to people and property. As
NYS Department of Parks employees', sawyers perform important skilled
tasks such as tree removal, tree maintenance, and other forestry related
work.

Tree removal, tree maintenance, and other forestry related work can
involve significant risks to sawyers. Some of these risks can include,
poor footing, unstable slopes, falls, chainsaw accidents, inclement
weather, noise and vibration hazards, and exposure to debris or hazards
found in the work environment. It is important to prioritioe risk
assessment and safety protocols to optimize the safety of employees.
Knowledge, experience, and situational awareness will contribute to the
safety of sawyers in our State Parks.

This bill seeks to standardize the training requirements of sawyers and
all. NYS Park employees who engage in tree maintenance, in order to
minimize the risks associated with this profession. The United States
Forest. Service National Crosscut and Chainsaw Program provides a rigor-
ous training program in proper techniques, risk assessment, and emergen-
cy response, which will equip NYS Parks employees with the skills neces-
sary to minimize accidents and handle complex tasks effectively. This
legislation requires the standardization of training that will protect
workers and give them the tools necessary to prevent injuries, safeguard
the public from tree-related. hacards, and reduce the liability for
errors or accidents.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.