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.
Technical Reports
Best Management and Operating Practices for Steep Slope Machine Logging
Logger Safety Initiative: Findings from the Initial Safety Consultations
Survey of Contract Loggers with Non-Mechanized Logging Operations, Summer 2016
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
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