LOGGING INJURIES AND FATALITIES Rational for Using Statistics The Industry s experience is much broader than any one contractor What accomplishments have been made? Avoid squandering the progress How is logging changing? The hazards will change too What are the biggest challenges to reducing injuries and fatalities? Are they related to: People, jobs, machines, harvest system, production pressures, etc?
Fatalities in Logging Logging is typically among the industries/occupations with the highest fatality rates Number of Fatalities / Number of Workers Logging Rate >100/100,000 All industry <5/100,000 Fatalities causes are representative of serious hazards Logging Fatalities (92-08) 180 160 Logging (NAICS 1133 & SIC 2410) Logging workers (45-402X & 4960) 140 Fatal Injuries 120 100 80 60 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010
Fatalities and Industry Size 180 160 Logging (NAICS 1133 & SIC 2410) Employee Index (CBP) 160 150 140 Fatal Injuries 140 120 100 130 120 110 100 Index value (2008=100) 80 90 60 80 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Fatalities and Harvest 180 160 160 Logging (NAICS 1133 & SIC 2410) Volume index (FAO) 150 140 Fatal Injuries 140 120 100 130 120 110 100 Index value (2008=100) 80 90 60 80 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
Fatality Event or Exposure 100% 90% 80% Proportion of annual fatalities 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Struck by falling object All other Transportation incident Falls Struck by object Is Logging Less Fatal Now? Fatal injury reduction is following decline in employment Exposure to the most severe hazards (struck by) have not changed very much The reasons are not apparent Mechanization and productivity have reduced the number of people needed, exposed Harvest moved from the Pacific Northwest to the South
OSHA Injury and Illness Data Survey of OSHA Injury and Illness logs Required of firms >10 employees 80% of firms are missed Records include Recordable injuries and illnesses Death, loss of consciousness, days away from work, restricted activity, medical treatment beyond FA, work related conditions with doctors diagnosis, recorded hearing loss with job transfer or restriction away from work Days away from job Injury and Illness rates Number per 100 workers 30 25 20 15 10 5 Recordable Illness&Injury Lost work Illness&Injury Injury&Illness (LA Pine) Injury (WV Bell) Injury (WV Mujuru) Injury (mechanized So. US) 0 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
Reducing Injury Rates Reduced exposure Less time spent on hazardous jobs tasks Chainsaw work Increased productivity: less labor hours needed for the same amount of production Improved working conditions: less manual labor, reduced fatigue Engineering controls: better, safer tools and machines Reducing Injury Rates Reduced exposure Personnel More experienced workforce Better training Change in harvest locations Flatter terrain, smaller trees
Injuries and Illness Severity Illness 4% Injury (job restriction) 9% Injury (other) 30% Injury (away from work) 57% Injury Severity: Median Lost Time 25 Lost time per case (days) 20 15 10 5 Logging All 0 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
Root Causes of Injuries A. Don t recognize hazards B. Not enough training/don t understand the job C. Fatigue from strenuous work/long hours D. Fatigue from health issues E. Risk taking for personal reasons F. Risk taking for production/cost G. Lack of PPE or incorrect use H. Equipment failure I. External pressure/decisions (scheduling, harvest plan, etc) Age and Experience Job knowledge Physical skills and abilities Mental acuity Health issues
Age and Injuries Percent of Total 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Logging (2003-2008) Logging Population - 2000 All 2008 20 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65 and over Age Experience with employer 11% 35% 18% Less than 3 months 3 months to 11 months 1 year to 5 years More than 5 years 36%
Fatigue Physical and mental fatigue Long hours Physically demanding labor Monotonous activities Machine vibration and noise Health conditions and medication Hydration Injury Timing: Day of Week 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% all 2008 2005 2008 0%
Logging Injury: Time of Day 50% 45% 40% All 2008 Logging 2003-2008 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 12:01 AM - 4:00 AM 4:01 AM - 8:00 AM 8:01 AM - 12:00 PM 12:01 PM - 4:00 PM 4:01 PM - 8:00 PM 8:01 PM - 12:00 AM Timing of Injuries 30% 25% all 2008 Logging (2003-2008) 20% 15% 10% 5% 0%
Risk Taking Skill in hazard recognition can be remedied through training Loggers engage in risk taking behavior even though they recognize the hazards Why? Is there a reward? Is it the expectation? Cultural Personal Altering risk taking behavior Change the culture Change the rewards Change the people Injury Characteristics Who Workers that work with chainsaws Workers not in a machine What kinds of injuries Strains and sprains are most common Fractures & lacerations are more common among loggers than others Trunk & lower extremity injuries are the most common Lower extremity injuries are more common among loggers than others
Injury Characteristic: Activity (%) Other, 16 Walking, 5 Machine Entry/Exit, 8 Operating Machine, 11 Driving Truck, 12 Operating Chainsaw, 30 Maintenance, 18 Injury Characteristic: Event or Exposure (%) Caught in, 3 Other, 14 Overexertion, 8 Vehicle, 10 Struck by, 46 Fall, 19
Injury Impacts Injury frequency Claims Cost Logging WV 2001 A crew of 6 @ 2/100 workers (mechanized) the crew could have 1 lost time injury every 8 years @ 14/100 (non-mechanized) the crew could have 1 per year Crews can escape injury for some time in spite of conditions. If a logger worked 30 years about 4 of 100 loggers that worked at the same time would have suffered a fatal injury Rubbed/abraded Falls Over exertion Struck by/against Indemnity Medical 0 10000 20000 $/claim Total Injury Cost - 1993 Median days lost per case 17, (7 for all industries) Average injury cost per worker (1993) May be $17000 (2010) Total industry cost Landscape residential contruction Sawmill Heavy constuction Trucking Logging Coal mining $568,454,338 (1993) 0 5000 10000 Injury cost ($/worker/year)
Importance of Monitoring Safety Performance Safety costs are high in logging Injuries are often serious/traumatic Logging is a difficult job to come back to after injury Non-injury incidents are indicators of what could happen Understanding all the potential hazards requires looking beyond your own experience Injury statistics OSHA inspections Safety alerts Discussions with other loggers