Protecting the Logging Workforce: Development of Innovative Logging Techniques for a Safer Working Environment

Details

• Personal Author:
  Boston K ; Chung W ; Cushing T ; Garland J ; Kincl, Laurel ; Leshchinsky B ; Sessions J ; Wimer J
• Description:
  Logging is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. Latest year deaths are 55 nationally (BLS) with numerous serious injuries (National injury data underreported). Adoption of technology and engineering solutions have the potential to reduce hazards workers are exposed to and to increase productivity of each individual worker. This is important in an industry having a difficult time recruiting and maintaining a younger work force. This project examines the benefits and challenges of using tethered logging systems on steep slopes to reduce the number of workers exposed to the hazards for felling trees. Operators are in machines with "Forestry" cabs that are designed to withstand impacts from trees and other falling objects. The most recent reporting shows that tethered systems in Oregon have operated 33,329 hours (June/2016 to June/2019) on slopes over 50%. Estimates are that tethered mechanical felling systems are, on average, two to four times more productive than hand falling. This replacement use of tethered systems equates to 97 faller years, which could have seen two deaths and numerous critical injuries. Washington has more tethered logging systems operating than Oregon and their data would be similar to Oregon. Over 200 cutter years have likely been saved in the two states. To date, there have been no serious injuries or deaths reported with tethered systems in Oregon and Washington. In order for state and federal land managers to embrace the use of tethered systems on the ground they manage, productivity and environmental concerns need to be addressed as well as improved safety. System productivity was studied and compared to conventional hand falling techniques. In a whole-tree harvesting comparison, machine cutting was twice as productive as manual cutting and the advantages of pre-bunching increased yarding productivity 120% over yarding after conventional cutting. A tethered harvester in a cut-to-length system had a productivity rate of 2100 cubic feet per scheduled machine hour. Stability analysis of tethered systems was studied and compared to non-tethered systems. Tethered systems shift the effective center of gravity of machines on steep slopes, increasing the ground track contact length or wheels with the ground. This was modeled using several machines positioned in different orientations on and off tether. Impacts to soil and water quality were investigated in case studies. Soil erosion, infiltration rate, bulk density, and compaction were measured. On the sandy, silt, clay soils of western Oregon it appears that tethered equipment may, through a tillage effect, loosen soil in some cases. Soil compaction was minimal. These findings of limited environmental impact may speed land managers acceptance of tethered operations and thereby improve safety of forest workers on steep terrain. Project findings were documented in ten publications and disseminated in 36 presentations. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Forestry Mortality Occupational Health Safety Workplace
• Keywords:
  Environmental Impacts Equipment Operation Fatalities Injuries Logging Industry Logging Safety Logging Workers Machinery Safety Engineering Work Environment
• Series:
  Grant Final Reports
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Final Cooperative Agreement Report
• Place as Subject:
  Oregon ; OSHA Region 10
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OEP - Office of Extramural Programs
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-44
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20060721
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2021-100205
• Citation:
  Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U01-OH-010978, 2019 Dec; :1-44
• Contact Point Address:
  John Sessions, PhD, PE, College of Forestry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331-5704
• Email:
  John.Sessions@oregonstate.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2020
• NORA Priority Area:
  Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
• Performing Organization:
  Oregon State University - Corvallis
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20150901
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• End Date:
  20180831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b793f62253cbb7212b6b4e130b41bb4e0398937805fdc94dcf7b42598392c8889a3f4f35ca1247431f4ce9040824658056d24afd3d0cccdd1c63bd8a89b7de83
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/219008/cdc_219008_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.05 MB ]