logging and sawmill safety -...
TRANSCRIPT
Developed by : Andrew Egan New Mex ico Forest and Watershed Restorat ion Inst i tute
INTRODUCTION TO LOGGING, SAWMILL, AND WOOD SPLITTER SAFETY
Back ground and the OSHA Logging Standard
LOGGING SAFETY
LOGGING SAFETY: BACKGROUND
• There were 64 logging-related fatal injuries in the US in 2011. • The fatal work injury rate for loggers in 2011 was 102.4 per 100,000
full-time workers, second to commercial fishing.
• This is compared to only 3.5 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers overall in the US.
• The rate of non-fatal injury for US loggers in 2011 was 5.0 per 100 full-
time workers (vs. 3.5 per 100 workers overall). • Loggers comprise one-half of 1 percent of the total workforce in the US,
yet account for nearly 2 percent of all workplace fatalities.
LOGGING SAFETY: BACKGROUND
• The most common cause of death is being struck by a falling object.
• Felled trees account for most of the struck by falling
object deaths. • The worker at most risk of logging-related fatality is the
timber faller.
OSHA: GENERAL DUTY CLAUSE
The General Duty Clause is the basic legal authority for OSHA enforcement activities. The law states that each employer: shall furnish each employee employment free from
recognized hazards causing or l ikely to cause death or serious physical harm;
shall furnish each employee places of employment
free from recognized hazards causing or l ikely to cause death or serious physical harm; and
has the specific duty to comply with safety and health
standards set up under this law.
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OSHA: VIOLATIONS
A “serious violation” occurs when there is
substantial probability that death or serious harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
An “other-than-serious violation” is one that has a
direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.
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OSHA LOGGING STANDARD
OSHA defines logging operations as: Operations associated with felling and
moving trees and logs from the stump to the point of delivery
Includes felling, l imbing, bucking,
debarking, chipping, yarding, loading and transporting machines and personnel from one site to another.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Employers must provide employees
with: hand protection (when handling wire
rope) ballistic nylon (or other material) leg
protection (if operating a chain saw) head protection hearing protection eye and face protection
Employers must make sure that employees are wearing foot protection.
KEY ELEMENTS OF THE LOGGING STANDARD
Work Areas The distance between two adjacent work
areas must be at least two tree heights of the trees being felled.
KEY ELEMENTS OF THE LOGGING STANDARD
First Aid and Fire First Aid kits must be present at each work
site where felling is done, each landing, and each transport vehicle.
Fire extinguishers must be present on each
machine and vehicle.
KEY ELEMENTS OF THE LOGGING STANDARD
Training
All employees must be trained in First Aid
and CPR. Safety and health meetings must be held at
least once per month. Employers must provide training for: each new employee who has not received
training; whenever an employee is assigned new work
tasks; and whenever an employee demonstrates unsafe
behavior.
KEY ELEMENTS OF THE LOGGING STANDARD
Felling Notching is required on all felled trees. Notch openings should be wide enough to
maintain directional control over the arc of the tree's fall .
Back cuts should be above horizontal face cuts
when notch openings are less than 70 degrees. Back cuts that allow for hinge wood sufficient
for directional control must be maintained.
KEY ELEMENTS OF THE LOGGING STANDARD
"Danger Trees" and Domino Felling Each "danger tree" is a standing tree that presents a
hazard to employees due to conditions such as, but not l imited to, deterioration or physical damage to the root system, trunk, stem or l imbs, and the direction and lean of the tree."
Danger trees must be fel led, removed or avoided. I f
not fel led or removed, no work may be conducted within two tree lengths.
Domino fel l ing (the fel l ing of multiple trees by a
single "pusher" tree) is prohibited.
KEY ELEMENTS OF THE LOGGING STANDARD
In general , the fo l lowing v io lat ions were found dur ing OSHA inspect ions in the f i r s t 18 months of the 1995 OSHA Logging Standard:
insufficient employee training (30 percent of violations) poor record keeping (29 percent)
Speci f ic v iolat ions in the f i r s t 18 months of the 1995 OSHA Logging Standard included (West V i rg inia – 25 inspect ions) :
lack of First Aid training (11 percent) absence of a hazard communication plan (11 percent)
lack of documentation of hazardous chemicals (10 percent)
incomplete First Aid kits (9 percent)
OSHA LOGGING STANDARD: ENFORCEMENT
Piece-rate (vs. t ime-based) wages have been associated with higher logging accident rates and severity.
Experienced workers generally have fewer
injuries than inexperienced workers. Where possible, mechanize operations –
especially fel l ing and del imbing. Understand and implement the OSHA Logging
Standard, including employee training.
SOME SOLUTIONS
The OSHA Logging Standard 1910.266:
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9862
Bureau of Labor Statistics: http://www.bls.gov/iag/tgs/iag113.htm
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Egan, A . 1995. OSHA's danger t rees : New regulat ion wi l l have an ef fect on forest
management and t imber avai labi l i ty. T imber Har vest ing . September 1995. Egan, A . 1995. Making fe l l ing safer : Here 's what OSHA says about manual fe l l ing .
T imber Har vest ing . November/December 1995. Egan, A . 1996. Who is l iable? Are cont ractors responsible for woods hazards?
T imber Har vest ing . June, 1996. Egan, A . 1996. Is the new OSHA logging s tandard being enforced? Southern Logging
T imes . November, 1996. Egan, A . 1996. Hazards in the logging woods – Who's responsible? Journal of
Forestr y . Ju ly 1996. Egan, A . 1997. The int roduct ion of a comprehensive logging safety s tandard in the
USA . Journal of Forest Engineer ing . Vo l . 9 , No . 1 :17 -23.
Egan, A . and C . A l ler ich . 1998. "Danger Trees" in cent ral Appalachian forests of the Uni ted States : An assessment of f requency of occurrence. Journal of Safety Research . 29(2) :77 -85.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Back ground, Case Studies, and the OSHA Sawmil l S tandard
SAWMILL SAFETY
Working in a sawmill is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States.
The equipment poses numerous hazards. Massive weights and
fall ing, roll ing, and/or sliding logs can be very dangerous. Employees often suffer from the following injuries: lacerations,
amputations, severed fingers, and blindness. Wood dust, and chemicals used for finishing products, may cause skin and respiratory diseases.
Sawmill hazards are even more dangerous when environmental
conditions are factored in, such as uneven, unstable, or rough terrain; inclement weather; or isolated work sites where health care facil ities are not immediately accessible.
SAWMILL SAFETY: BACKGROUND
From: OSHA Sawmill Standard: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/woodproducts/tech_sawmills.html
Tr icon T imber LLC in St . Reg is , Mont . , was c i ted for 25 ser ious and two repeat
safety v io lat ions based on an inspect ion that fo l lowed a complaint a l leging workers had been in jured at the sawmil l .
The v io lat ions inc luded a l leged fa i lure to :
ensure workers were protected from fall hazards by providing standard guardrails, include workers in a fully implemented respiratory protection program, provide adequate PPE, provide an eyewash and emergency shower station, implement a comprehensive energy control program, and guard machines.
Ci tat ions car r ied tota l penal t ies of $80,190. The two repeat v io lat ions were for a l leged fa i lure to guard augers in the bo i ler room
and ensure the shaf t ends on stackers were guarded. These c i tat ions car r ied penal t ies of $48,510.
The proposed penalt ies tota led $128,700.
SAWMILL SAFETY: CASE 1
The U.S . Depar tment of Labor ’s Occupat iona l Safety and Heal th Adminis t ra t ion c i ted the Joe N . Mi les & Sons Inc . sawmil l in S i lver Creek with 19 safety v io lat ions .
The c i tat ions inc lude one wi l l fu l v io lat ion car r y ing a $44,000 penal ty for a l lowing an e lect r ica l junct ion box to be le f t open in an area where combust ib le dust accumulates , expos ing workers to f i re and e lect rocut ion.
The company a lso was c i ted wi th 16 ser ious v io lat ions and a penal ty of $23,800. The
v io lat ions inc lude :
a dangerous accumulation of combustible dust; unsafe exit routes; improper dispensing of flammable liquids; failing to inspect lockout/tagout procedures of energy sources; failing to recharge fire extinguishers; lack of signage prohibiting foot and vehicle traffic in the log unloading and storage area; handling corrosive chemicals without required eyewash and safety showers; using damaged hooks on hoists to lift loads; using damaged welding cables; failing to have guardrails on elevated walkways; and failing to provide machine guarding.
The proposed penalt ies tota led $67,800.
SAWMILL SAFETY: CASE 2
T h e U . S . De p a r t m e n t o f L a b o r ’ s O c c u p a t io na l S a fet y a n d H e a l t h A d m i n i s t r a t ion c i te d G r a h a m L u m b e r C o . fo r 1 5 s a fet y a n d h e a l t h v io la t io n s fo l l ow ing t h e M a r c h d e a t h o f a wo r ke r w h o wa s e le c t ro c u te d a t t h e c o m p a ny ’ s Fu l to n s aw m i l l w h i le t ro u b le s h o o t in g a m a l f u n c t io n in g s t a r te r i n s id e a m o to r p owe r c o n t ro l c e n te r.
Two s e r io u s s a fet y v io la t io n s r e la te d to t h e f a t a l i t y i n c lu d e f a i l i n g to t r a in e m p loye es o n wo r k
s a fet y p r a c t i c e s a n d a l l ow ing u n q u a l i f ie d e m p loye e s to wo r k o n e n e r g i z ed e q u ip m e n t . E leve n o t h e r s e r io u s s a fet y v io la t io n s in c lu d e d :
failing to have protective shields, barriers or insulating material to protect employees who could come into contact with energized parts;
having a damaged electrical cord on a footswitch; not properly grounding a floor fan; failing to adequately protect electrical cables; storing oxygen cylinders less than 20 feet from gas
cylinders; failing to separate and store oxygen cylinders away from combustible material; exposing workers to burns and struck-by hazards from unsecured acetylene cylinders; failing to take precautions to protect the propane gas system from vehicular damage; and having an unguarded shaft end.
Two other-than-serious health violations were cited for failing to post and provide employees with
a copy of the noise standard, and to include the chemical inventory in the company’s hazard communication program.
T h e p r o p o s e d p e n a l t i e s to t a l e d $ 41 ,310
SAWMILL SAFETY: CASE 3
The Occupat ional Safety and Heal th Administrat ion has c i ted B&B Lumber Co.
Inc. for 35 a l leged ser ious v io lat ions of workplace safety standards fo l lowing the Feb. 7 death of a worker at the Jamesvi l le sawmil l .
The worker, who was changing the blades on an edging saw, was k i l led when
another employee inadver tent ly star ted the saw. OSHA’s inspect ion found that the saw’s power source had not been locked out ,
as requi red by OSHA’s hazardous energy control , or “ lockout/tagout ,” s tandard. That standard mandates that machines be shut down and thei r power sources locked out before employees per form maintenance.
OSHA’s inspect ion a lso ident i f ied several other unre lated hazardous condi t ions
at the mi l l encompassing fa l l , e lectr ical , machine guarding, ladder use and personal protect ive equipment hazards, as wel l as inadequate means of egress.
The proposed penalties totaled $152,000.
SAWMILL SAFETY: CASE 4
Employers must provide proper training, procedures and protective equipment to safeguard workers against safety hazards.
It is the employer’s responsibility to assess workplace hazards
and ensure corrective measures are taken to protect employees.
Effective lockout/tagout safeguards must be implemented
and maintained at all times. Employers must establish an injury and illness prevention
program in which workers and management continually work to identify and eliminate hazardous conditions.
SOME SOLUTIONS
OSHA Sawmill Standard 1910.265: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/woodproducts/tech_sawmil ls .html
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Back ground and Guidel ines WOOD SPLITTER SAFETY
Lacerations or severing of fingers from fingers caught between the wood and the spl itt ing wedge, sometimes when working with another person in the operation of the spl itter
Back injuries from l i f t ing wood onto the
spl itter Chain saw -related lacerations from bucking
logs to fi rewood length before spl itt ing Hearing loss from not wearing ear protection Burns from leaking hydraulic fluid Foot injuries from wood dropped on feet not
protected by safety toed boots
COMMON INJURIES
Inc ident A worker lost h is index f inger when the cut t ing wedge of the log sp l i t ter he was us ing fa i led to s top once i t had returned to i ts rest ing pos i t ion . C i rcumstances The worker was sp l i t t ing f i rewood us ing a 10 -year -o ld hydraul ic 20 - ton log sp l i t ter
in a hor i zontal pos i t ion . The sp l i t ter had been working f ine ear l ier in the morning .
The operator had h is back to the cutt ing wedge and cont rol lever whi le put t ing the next log on the machine. He d id not not ice that the wedge had fa i led to s top at i t s set pos i t ion .
The cut t ing wedge caught h is r ight index f inger just as he was p lac ing the log onto
the sp l i t ter.
The f inger was amputated f rom the bot tom knuckle .
WOOD SPLITTER SAFETY INCIDENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
From: http://www.osh.govt.nz/publications/series/aa25log-splitter-accident.html
Recommendat ions Th is acc ident occurred through the mechanical fa i lure of a spr ing and guide ins ide a hydraul ic lever. The fo l lowing recommendat ions are g iven to avo id a recurrence of th is acc ident : Current log sp l i t ters are des igned wi th "ho ld to run" or "dead man" control levers .
Th is ensures that the cut t ing wedge wi l l not run for ward wi thout an operator 's hand pressure on the lever.
Be aware of the potent ia l for sp l i t ters w i thout th is "ho ld to run" control feature to
" fa i l to danger. ” Ensure hydraul ic log sp l i t ters are regular ly ser v iced by a hydraul ic spec ia l is t t ra ined
to ident i fy potent ia l fa i lures . Users of the wood sp l i t ter should assess operat ional hazards , be informed of safe
operat ing pract ice wi th the spec i f ic type of machine to be used, and under take a complete cyc le check before i ts operat ional use.
Employers should ensure su i table personal protect ive c loth ing i s provided and worn
dur ing the sp l i t ter ’s operat ion.
WOOD SPLITTER SAFETY INCIDENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Read, understand, and fol low al l instructions on the machine and in the operator's manual before attempting to assemble and operate.
Be familiar with al l controls and proper
operation. Know how to stop the machine and disengage quickly.
Never al low chi ldren under 16 years to
operate a wood spl itter. Many accidents occur when more than one
person operates the machine. I f a helper is assist ing in loading logs, never activate the control unti l the helper is a minimum of 10 feet from the machine.
SAFETY GUIDELINES: GENERAL
Keep bystanders, pets and children at least 20 feet from the machine while it is in operation.
Hydraulic log splitters develop high fluid
pressures during operation. Fluid escaping through a pin hole opening can penetrate your skin and cause blood poisoning, gangrene, or death.
Keep the operator zone and adjacent
area clear for safe, secure fitting. Wood splitters should be used for
splitting wood only.
SAFETY GUIDELINES: GENERAL
Always wear safety shoes or heavy boots.
Always wear safety glasses or safety
goggles while operating a wood splitter. Never wear unbound long hair, jewelry,
or loose clothing that might become entangled in moving or rotating parts of the machine.
SAFETY GUIDELINES: PPE AND CLOTHING
Make sure the wood splitter is on a level surface before operating.
Always block machine to prevent
unintended movement, and lock in either horizontal or vertical position.
Always operate this machine from
the operator zone(s) specified in your operator’s manual.
Logs should be cut with square
ends prior to splitting.
SAFETY GUIDELINES: POSITIONING AND PREPARATION
Use wood splitters in daylight or under good ar tificial l ight.
To avoid personal injury or property
damage, use extreme care in handling gasoline.
Never leave the wood splitter
unattended with the engine running. Always keep fingers away from any
cracks that open in the log while splitt ing. They can quickly close and pinch or sever your fingers.
SAFETY GUIDELINES: OPERATION
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
http://www.mtdparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/KnowledgeCenterArticleView?storeId=10101&catalogId=19502&langId=-1&pageName=en_US/knowledgeCenter/knowledgeCenterArticles/LogSplitterSafety.html
http://www.osh.govt.nz/publications/series/aa25log-splitter-accident
http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/formspublications/Documents/wood_splitters_industry_safety_standard_5658.pdf
INTRODUCTION TO LOGGING, SAWMILL, AND WOOD SPLITTER SAFETY
For informat ion, contact : New Mex ico Forest and Watershed Restorat ion Inst i tute www.nmfwri .org