Abstract
Increased logging mechanization has helped improve logging safety and health, yet related safety risks and concerns are not well understood. A cross-sectional study was completed among Virginia loggers. Participants (n = 122) completed a self-administered questionnaire focusing on aspects of safety and health related to logging equipment. Respondents were at a high risk of workplace injuries, with reported career and 12-month injury prevalences of 51% and 14%, respectively. Further, nearly all (98%) respondents reported experiencing musculoskeletal symptoms. Over half (57.4%) of respondents reported symptoms related to diesel exhaust exposure in their career. Few (15.6%), however, perceived their jobs to be dangerous. Based on the opinions and suggestions of respondents, three priority areas were identified for interventions: struck-by/against hazards, situational awareness (SA) during logging operations, and visibility hazards. To address these hazards, and to have a broader and more substantial positive impact on safety and health, we discuss the need for proactive approaches such as incorporating proximity technologies in a logging machine or personal equipment, and enhancing logging machine design to enhance safety, ergonomics, and SA.
Highlights
Logging is the process of harvesting trees by which workers fell, process, and transport them for further manufacture
We found that work-related injury prevalence (Table 1), but not musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) symptom prevalence (Table 2), was associated with years of experience
Specific to the questions about diesel exhaust exposure, responses may have been influenced by smoking status or other preexisting health conditions. In this cross-sectional study, using a sample of Virginia loggers, work-related injuries and MSDs were found to be quite prevalent among loggers, though many of these workers perceived their jobs as being only moderately dangerous or less so
Summary
Logging is the process of harvesting trees by which workers fell, process, and transport them for further manufacture. It is an important component of the U.S economy, in that forest products account for ~4% of the total manufacturing gross domestic product [1]. An increase in mechanization and logger safety training have played important roles in improving logging workers’ safety. These advancements have decreased adverse work-related events and injuries associated with manual tree felling and processing using a chainsaw [3,4,5,6].
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