PLC Logger's Voice Winter 2017

Safety First
Ted Clark, CLCS, Loss Control Consultant, Acadia Insurance
Although production is critical to the lifeblood of a company, it’s important to recognize the cost and loss of
production associated with seemingly simple incidents like a slip, trip or fall. With all the uncertainty in the industry
today, it seems near impossible to worry about something as simple as a slip and fall. However, slips and falls are a
hazard that increases significantly with the ice and long hours that accompany the winter months. These costs can be
detrimental to the profitability of your business.
We talk about slips and falls a lot because it is an exposure that plagues many industries, including logging, and
the injuries that occur can have severe, lasting effects. The following information is what I have learned from my time in
the field with you.
SPECIFIC AREAS, DIFFERENT APPROACH
Three points of contact is an industry buzzword that continues to ring true. When climbing on and off vehicles
and equipment the employee must have both hands free so they can always have three limbs in contact with the machine.
This means the operator should place their lunch box and coffee into the cab from the ground before climbing up into the
machine.
There is no arguing that forestry equipment is generally not user friendly when it comes to getting into the cab or
accessing the engine compartments. The best solutions I have found are from companies who encourage their operators
to come up with ideas on how to prevent slips and make access easier. Typically these changes are as simple as adding a
step or hand hold with some scrap metal and a couple of hours labor; a cheap solution when you consider the cost of
losing an employee due to a fall off the equipment.
Truck drivers are perhaps the most susceptible to injuries from slips on a logging operation. The driver jumps
out of the warm truck into the freezing cold, he’s in a hurry, he’s been sitting in the seat for potentially hours, and he
may not be in the best physical shape. As soon as he gets out he starts unraveling straps and hurling 50 feet of nylon or
cable as hard as he can to get it up and over the load. The road is glare ice, and when he moves his body he slips and falls
and tweaks his back. Sound about right? How do we prevent this?
First we need to understand what causes accidents like these. Without going into excruciating detail, when you
sit in the same position for an extended period of time (like a truck seat), your body’s muscles stretch into that position
and become tense. When you jump out of your truck and start throwing straps, your muscles haven’t had a chance to
warm up which significantly decreases your ability to stay on your feet and increases your chances of being injured when
you take a fall. Your best defense from slip injuries is to educate your drivers and implement a basic stretch program that
requires the driver to take a minute and stretch his back out when he exits the truck. This may not prevent the fall itself,
but it will significantly reduce the chance of being injured when you do take the fall.
YOUR FEET COUNT
It shouldn’t go unsaid that there are some manufactured options that can assist in reducing the likelihood of slip,
trip or fall. This includes products such as cleats designed to fit over your boots that will provide excellent traction. As
always though, it does present some new hazards when you use them so I would encourage you to weigh the pros and
cons before spending a lot of money.
It’s important to consider what your employees are wearing on their feet. Experience confirms that the “logger”
style boots with the elevated heels on them are about the worst thing you can wear in the winter. The soles are much
harder than a traditional boot and the style gives you little control over weight distribution when on ice. A more
traditional style work boot with a lower heel and a softer sole is a better option. It is worth researching which boots
would serve this purpose, then encourage employees to purchase them by offering to pay for a portion of the cost when
they present you with a receipt.
CONCLUSION
This article has presented several ideas that I have seen in the field and believe could be effective in helping you
prevent accidents from occurring. Slips trips and fall claims have haunted the logging industry since the first time an ax
was placed to wood. Preventing these types of losses will start with recognizing that the way we have always dealt with
the issue may not be the best way. Listen to your employees, learn from others, and don’t be afraid to try something out
of the box. It just may work.
12 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995