Category: Forestry
Logging Mechanization and Impacts on Health
While logging is still considered a high-risk industry, the mechanization of work has contributed to critical safety improvements. When at one time most loggers performed manual felling, today a logger’s workday is increasingly spent seated while operating heavy equipment. There is no doubt that mechanization has changed the industry in many ways. Researchers at Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentPerspectives on Forest Operations Safety
Forest operations, which include logging and other forestry activities (e.g., planting, thinning, fuels reduction, and wildland fire fighting), are a vital component of forest management. It is also one of the most dangerous places to work in the United States (U.S.). In 2022, there were 54 fatalities to logging workers. The work-related fatality rate for Read More >
Posted on byJob Satisfaction in the Logging Industry
Operating heavy machinery, working long hours, and hitting the road before sunrise and returning after sunset are occupational pressures that loggers and log truck drivers face. These conditions also put them at high risk for injury and fatality. Researchers in the University of Washington Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center surveyed 45 loggers Read More >
Posted on byCOFE – The Future of Forest Operations
What does safety have to do with forest engineering? Everything. For the first time, Safety, Health, and Workforce Development was highlighted as a distinct track at the Council on Forest Engineering’s (COFE) Annual Meeting. Hosted by the University of Idaho’s College of Natural Resources and the University of Idaho Experimental Forest on May 21-24 in Read More >
Posted on byNIOSH Ag Centers Celebrate 10 Years on YouTube
One hundred years ago, farmers, loggers, and fishermen turned to their families and communities for advice on safety, health, production, and repairs. They may have even consulted the Farmer’s Almanac or asked a cooperative extension agent. Although family, friends, print media, and extension agents are still great sources of information, the farmers, loggers, and fishermen Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentWorking Hours and Fatigue: Meeting the Needs of American Workers and Employers
In November 2022, the American Journal of Industrial Medicine (AJIM) published a special issue focusing on work-related fatigue. The issue explores factors that may increase work-related fatigue and actions to reduce work-related injuries and illnesses. [1] This issue is a result of discussions and collaborations from the 2019 NIOSH Working Hours, Sleep and Fatigue Forum Read More >
Posted on by 1 Comment30 Years of the NIOSH Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Program
As NIOSH celebrates half a century of work in occupational safety and health, the Institute’s Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing (AgFF) Program reflects on 30 years of research and outreach designed to protect the people who produce our nation’s food and fiber. The AgFF Program began in response to a rise of farmer safety concerns Read More >
Posted on by 6 CommentsDrug Overdose in the Workplace and the Role of Opioids
The drug overdose epidemic continues to afflict our country. Nationally, there were more than 70,000 drug overdose deaths in 2017 [i] involving opioids (such as fentanyl, heroin and hydrocodone), stimulants (such as cocaine and methamphetamine), and alcohol.[ii] Nearly 70% of these deaths involved an opioid.[ii] Recent data show that drug overdoses at work are increasing. Read More >
Posted on by 5 CommentsTimber, Noise, and Hearing Loss: A Look into the Forestry and Logging Industry
We use our senses for many things. Take away or weaken one, such as hearing, and many things around us begin to change. Unexpectedly, the conversation across the room becomes more difficult to hear. Our favorite song on the radio doesn’t sound quite the same. This can become very frustrating for the person affected. Hearing Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsFrequent Exertion and Frequent Standing Among US Workers
Have you ever wondered if your job involves more standing, bending, or lifting than other jobs? Or if there are ways you could avoid injuries from these movements while on the job? Last week, NIOSH published an article on frequent exertion and frequent standing among US workers by industry and occupation group. Using data from Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsNoise Exposure Among Federal Wildland Fire Fighters
Hearing loss is one of the most common work-related illnesses in the United States. NIOSH estimates that 22 million U.S. workers encounter noise exposures loud enough to be hazardous. Wildland fire fighting (vs. urban/ structural fire fighting), aims to suppress grass, brush, or forest fires (see Figure 1). Wildland fire fighting is considered a high-risk Read More >
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