Whether their boots are in the lumberyard
or spiked into a tree high above the ground,
logging workers know the value
of the trees they harvest.
The timber they take provides
the raw material for hundreds of products
for home and business use.
Logging workers include several categories:
Fallers cut down trees
with chain saws and axes,
then cut them into measured lengths.
Logging equipment operators use
heavy machinery for the same tasks.
They move the logs to be
loaded for transport,
and pull stumps and clear brush if required.
Log graders and scalers inspect logs
to estimate their value.
They enter data about trees
on hand-held devices,
and grade the lumber in the yards
where logs are collected before shipping.
Logging worker supervisors have
years of experience in the field.
They train workers, assign jobs,
and solve on-site problems
to ensure compliance with regulations.
Working around falling trees
and heavy equipment,
logging requires a balance of quick,
intelligent decision-making
and an appetite for physical work.
Workers spend all their time outdoors…
often climbing and lifting…
sometimes in poor weather.
The hazards of logging require
rigorous safety practices and equipment.
Work is usually more available
in warmer months,
and may be located in remote, isolated sites.
A significant number of logging workers
are self-employed.
While many logging workers
have a high school education,
almost all learn on the job.