Opinions On tree Safety in United States

Buckstree

I have noticed that more than half of the tree workers on this site live outside the U.S. I was wondering what your thoughts are about the safety in tree work and logging in the U.S. compared to other countries....... Are we safe or not?

Willard Holmen

Thats a good question. Myself having worked for a large forestry company here in Canada for 30 years. Unionized with the IWA, head office in British Columbia. We had to follow strict company and union safety programs. All chainsaw operaters had to wear steel toe boots , ballastic nylon safety pants, hi vi hard helmet, eye ear protection, safety gloves. Being educated by monthly safety meetings. Each crew alternated to do the weekly safety tour of logging operations. Every chainsaw working[and spares] had their chains depth gauges checked with a micrometer.
I'm just getting warmed up here. I got out of logging [falling] when I was replaced by a processor in 1995. But I'm sure there is many members on here from British Columbia [BC] who are still logging and can go from where I left off. I hear their Workplace Health And Safety - Workers' Comp are very strict out there.

Eric Frei

Industry safety is going backwards and the govt cried for help.

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Buckstree

yea but how do we rate agianst other countries for instance Germany or England???

Willard Holmen

In Sweden to be a chainsaw logger you have to apprentice for 2 years before you can even think of working on your own.

Eric Frei

I dont think you'll get those stats.

Very hard to get comparisons, I'd be dubious of numbers presented and say there'd be a lot of variation in the collection of the data.

Not a bad mission though, just relying on govt stats will be tough. I know of people who have died and been permanently injured but I also know that they aint all recorded.

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Buckstree

well heres another question who do you think sets the standard, country??

Willard Holmen

Which standards Forestry or Arboriculture?
If forestry I would say B.C. Canada and Sweden tied.

Buckstree

Well in the US the line between forestry and arborculture fades more every year thanks to Osha.... I always see that Germany seems to stand out with safety and England also seems to have its ducks in a row...

Willard Holmen

Depending what state your in I don't think Forestry ever did have a strong 0sha following in the whole US. Now in Arboriculture its pretty hard to beat the standards of International Society Of Arboriculture along with ANSI standards.

Therrin

The only problem with ANSI and OSHA making standards is that half the time you get some pencil-pusher in an office deciding what the standards should be, and he's never actually been out or done the work.

He just thinks "Hmmm, this seems to be a safe way to do things" and it has no field-rating whatsoever.

kel

The US of A must have the highest standard cause after all its the US of A. Can't imagine the proffesionals need any more regulations as "loss of income" and "it hurts" tend to be self regulators....but then, there are a fair number of pros on utube. My beef with OHS would be that 1- we work in a dynamic (think thats the right word.) enviroment, you never cut the same tree down twice, that I want as many options avaliable to me as possible. yes ear and eye protection are good but if "they" start saying you cant do this cut or that knot.....well I'm glad I'm getting to the end of my run in trees. And 2nd point I'll keep to myself. p.s have some things I've added to the tool box that make the job easier and safer. Any suggestions where I should put the pics?

Eric Frei

Yeah, in the picture forum start your own ... Kel's pictures.

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Therrin

Dynamite is NOT safer...but it might be easier