Fatal Incident Linked to Inadequate Hearing Protection in Landscaping

On September 3, 2023, a fatal incident occurred at a commercial landscaping site in Dallas, Texas, involving a 49-year-old worker, John Harris. Harris, who had been operating a high-decibel leaf blower without adequate hearing protection, failed to hear an approaching heavy vehicle while working near a roadway. The loud equipment masked the sound of the vehicle, leading to Harris being struck and fatally injured. The investigation revealed that Harris had not been provided with proper hearing protection equipment (HPE), nor had he received training on the importance of hearing conservation in noisy environments. […]