There are many safety concerns working in the logging industry because large, heavy trees fall around you all day, creating dangerous situations. You can avoid many accidents and injuries on the job site by following guidelines set in place to keep employees safe. If you manage a crew or are a part of one, take a look at these tips to avoid hazards on the job.
Training Continuation
When you first begin your career in the logging industry, a part of your onboarding process is to watch numerous training and safety videos. If there is no proper training at the beginning of your career, you’ll more than likely injure yourself on the job. Furthermore, upper management should continue the training for workers to refresh them and ensure it’s adhering to the guidelines put in place.
Use PPE Appropriately
Cutting down timber and large trees all day will create hazards; therefore, personal protective equipment is vital in this industry. PPE includes hard hats, eyewear, foot protection, and hearing protection. If you do not wear this equipment daily, you are putting yourself at risk for more potential injuries or even death in the worst cases.
Maintain & Properly Use Equipment
Never force a piece of equipment to perform a job it was not made to do—this is the perfect recipe for disaster. For example, properly using a logging choker chain is crucial to prevent a heavy log or tree from falling on a worker.
In addition to using the correct tools on the job, your equipment and machinery also need routine maintenance, or they will fail and cause issues. If the equipment cannot perform at its full potential, you could risk workers’ lives and health. Start each workday by thoroughly inspecting the machines.
Monitor Your Surroundings
As you work throughout the day, your surroundings are constantly changing, so you must remain aware and monitor them at all times. Overhead hazards are common safety concerns when working in the logging industry and pose very severe risks to workers, so ignoring your surroundings could be detrimental to your health. You are more than an individual employee and part of a team; look out for your co-workers to ensure you all remain safe.
Do not ignore the safety concerns or guidelines on the job site, or you could be putting yourself and other workers at risk for injury or death. You can avoid these instances with proper training and PPE.
