Overview

Logging Injury Prevention

In 2014, the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries in collaboration with the logging companies, industrial timberland owners and the Washington Department of Natural Resources started the Washington Logger Safety Initiative (LSI). The LSI program was in response to the high injury rates and high costs associated with manual logging activities.

SHARP has provided support for the LSI program by reviewing workers’ compensation claim data, publishing injury prevention material, surveying landowners and contract loggers participating in the program, and evaluating LSI’s effectiveness in reducing claims and costs. LSI is an ongoing program at L&I.

The rapid adoption of tethered logging practices as a substitute for hand cutting of timber on steep slopes led to the production of Best Management and Operating Practices for Steep Slope Machine Logging, a first of its kind safety and operating guide for this emerging logging practice in the US.

Publications

Technical Reports

Best Management and Operating Practices for Steep Slope Machine Logging

Evaluation of the Logger Safety Initiative: Impact on Employer-Reported Payroll Hours and Worker’s Compensation Claim Rates.

Logger Safety Initiative: Findings from the Initial Safety Consultations

Survey of Contract Loggers with Non-Mechanized Logging Operations, Summer 2016

Survey of Industrial Timberland Owners Regarding the Washington Logger Safety Initiative, Spring 2015

Prevention Materials

Logging Injury Alerts

Hooktender Struck by Rolling Log While Preparing to Set Choker

Chaser Caught in Yarder Drum While Spooling Mainline

Rigging Slinger Struck by Carriage When Skyline Drops

Operator Killed When Struck by Skidder Rolling Down Slope

Timber Cutter Killed When Struck by Alder Snag Top

Pre-Commercial Thinning Foreman Injured by Chainsaw

Lowboy Operator Struck by Boom Stand Support Arm

Lowboy Operator Fingers Amputated

Chaser Dies When Crushed Between Two Logs

Timber Cutter Struck by Small Hemlock

Hazard Briefs

Hooktender Struck by Rolling Rock

Safety Interlocks Bypassed on Feller Bunchers

Cell Phone Distractions

Near Miss Alerts

Choker Setter Struck when Hung-up Turn Clears

Tether Line Breaks after Damaged by Bucket Move

Base Machine Pulled Over by Steep Slope Machine

Journal Articles

Bonauto DK, Wuellner SE, Marcum JL, and Adams DA (2019). Injury Rate Comparisons for Nonmechanized and Mechanized Logging Operations, Washington State, 2005-2014. Journal of Agromedicine. doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2019.1566106 | Research Findings