Logging Injury Alert: Two Rigging Crew Members Injured When Log Slides off Landing

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  Washington (State). Department of Labor and Industries
• Description:
  A 33-year-old hooktender and a 53-year-old rigging slinger were seriously injured when a log slid off a landing and struck them. Both injured members of the rigging crew were experienced; the hooktender had worked in the logging industry for seven years and the rigging slinger for 33 years. This was the fourth day the cable logging crew had been working at this site. The yarder operator was having difficulties landing some of the tree-length logs, as well as getting them to stay on the landing. Several logs had slid off of the landing and gone down the hill. In order to keep the logs on the landing, the landing crew was securing them with haywire. The yarder operator was about to tell the hooktender that this would be the last turn on this road because of the problems he was having with the logs. The yarder operator then brought three logs to the landing, which the chaser secured with haywire before unhooking the chokers. One of the logs slipped out of the haywire and slid down the hill. The rigging crew, located about 700 feet below, had picked what they thought would be the safest location given the lay of the hillside. Despite their best efforts to safely position themselves, the hooktender and the rigging slinger were struck by the log. Both were hospitalized. The hooktender suffered broken bones in his left arm; the rigging slinger's left leg was broken. Safety Requirements: Landing areas must be large and level enough to land and deck the logs in the turns so that they will not slide or roll in the direction of employees or equipment. This is not intended to restrict the yarding and/or loading of logs for pole piling or an infrequent long break or tree length, provided the log is secured before unhooking the choker. See WAC 296-54-575(1)(b). Recommended Safe Practices: The landing must be planned to minimize the risk of logs leaving it and going downhill. Discuss the organization of the landing with the entire crew beforehand to ensure that everyone's perspective is heard and the crew's knowledge is used. Inspect the landing ahead of time, as there may be safety issues to resolve with the landowner. Yarder operators must always use extreme caution when the rigging crew is working below the landing. Rolling logs or sliding poles can travel a considerable distance downhill. Land the turn far enough into the landing to prevent logs from sliding over the hill and endangering the rigging crew. If a tight landing is the only option, buck the timber instead of yarding tree-length logs. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Forestry Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Falling Objects Forestry Workers Injuries Logging Industry Logging Workers Safety Practices
• Publisher:
  Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Report
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 10 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20061036
• Citation:
  Olympia, WA: Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, 92-16-2015, 2015 Jun; :1-2
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• Performing Organization:
  Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Logging injury alert: two rigging crew members injured when log slides off landing
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:a332e57b6566354f6f22a0fa180a3a8b0e00ba3d7e3c59a05369ae5e025910141b9a5b21ff717e4e43f0277d40979a7f0a7115a681b09924010f09d0c9724e4d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/224722/cdc_224722_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 421.65 KB ]