US Department of Labor finds Bradenton landscaper willfully endangered worker who drowned after being pinned underwater by riding mower

Summary:

A 36-year-old mower operator with TruScapes Industries Inc. in Bradenton, Florida, drowned on July 4, 2023, after a zero-turn lawnmower rolled over into a pond, pinning the worker underwater. The incident occurred when the machine's roll-over protection system was not engaged and the equipment was operated on a steep slope. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited the employer for one willful violation and one serious violation, proposing $166,305 in penalties. The agency found that the employer failed to implement required safety measures, resulting in a fatal incident.