1. Section 2 Forest Technologies

2. Chapter 3 Safety in the Forest

3. Chapter Highlights Clothing and gear for forest safety
Effects of noise intensity and duration
Importance of high-quality tools and equipment
Training for safety; safe work habits
Chain saw safety practices
Safety during harvest, transporting, and processing of timber

4. Forestry Work: Hazardous Careers
Many occupations related to forestry are hazardous
Safe working conditions require:
Training
Good equipment
Safety mind-set

5. Forest Safety: First Step
Proper forest clothing and gear
Includes boots, safety glasses, hard hats, leather gloves, long-sleeved work shirts, chaps, durable work pants
Improper clothing present hazards
Gear protects workers from falling debris, misdirected cutting tools, and crushing by heavy objects

6. Protective Gear for Forest Workers
Steel-reinforced boots:
Protect feet and toes from accidental cuts when cutting tool is misdirected
Combine with chainsaw chaps for best protection
Protection from crushing
Provide stable footing

7. Protective Gear for Forest Workers (Continued)
Hard hat:
Protection from falling limbs, debris
Safety glasses:
Protection from flying particles
Protective earplugs or earmuffs:
Protection from sustained loud sounds

8. Hearing Loss Risks
Many machines used in the forest are extremely noisy
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) established a 90dB-noise level as maximum safe limit for eight hour work period
Measure of intensity is decibel (dB)

9. Duration of Time Permitted at Various Sound Levels

10. Factors That Cause Hearing Loss
The combination of high decibel levels and sustained noise duration can lead to hearing damage
Noise intensity: The amount of energy that is in the sound waves of a noise source
Noise duration: The length of time that a person is exposed to a sound

11. Properly Maintained Equipment/Machinery
Loss of control over tools and equipment causes accidents
Poor quality or poorly maintained tools require extra effort
Worker tires and must compensate for short-comings of tool
Heavy-duty and high-quality machines hold up
Safety is improved when machines operate properly

12. Forest-Related Safety Training
Training is the most important for safety
Operation of machinery and equipment
Millwork (wood and paper production)
Firefighting
Emergency procedures for injured workers
Protection from harsh weather, chemical applications and water safety

13. Safe Work Habits, Safety Awareness
Identify potential hazards
Think through plan of action for risky situations
Position self appropriately for potentially hazardous work settings
Stay out of direct line of moving parts that may throw projectiles

14. Safe Work Habits, Safety Awareness (Continued)
Keep hands and body parts away from moving parts (gears, chains) capable of moving heavy logs

15. Chain Saw Safety
Chain saw: one of the most important tools of the forest industry
Most dangerous part: evenly spaced cutting teeth on moving chain
Take precaution to avoid direct contact
If chain contacts soil or rocks, it can throw debris

16. Chain Saw Safety (Continued)
Exhaust muffler can inflict serious burns
Wear protective clothing
Spark from exhaust can cause fire
Keep shovel and fire extinguisher at hand

17. Safe Harvest Practices
First saw cut: triangular notch at base of tree
On side where logger wants tree to fall
One-third of the way through tree
Second cut: 2 to 3 in. above first notch, on opposite side
Logger should have retreat routes in mind
Should consider wind direction and tendency of tree to lean

18. Felling a Tree

19. Safe Transport Operations
Several kinds of heavy equipment are used to transport logs to landing or mill
Should carry loads with booms only partially extended to avoid tipping over and related accidents

20. Safe Transport Operations (Continued)
Log-handling equipment should be equipped with safety cabs and roll bars
Use of helicopter or other aircraft requires strict attention to safety practices
Workers in area must attend to their own safety; operator of heavy equipment may not see or hear them

21. Truck Transportation Safety
Tractor-trailer rigs haul large loads of logs or chips to mill or plant
Loads are heavy; grades are often steep; roads narrow: drive cautiously to avoid tipping
Brake failures account for many accidents: keep truck in gear, engage clutch, reduce engine speed

22. Truck Transportation Safety (Continued)
High speed with heavy load is risky: slow down
Shift of load presents hazard: secure loads with chains

23. Safe Processing Practices
Rigid safety rules are developed for modern mills, where workers could be crushed or entangled in machinery
Power switches at various locations are essential when an injury has occurred or emergency repairs are needed
Workers must develop safety mind-set by considering possible consequences of every action