Injury Rate Comparisons for Nonmechanized and Mechanized Logging Operations, Washington State, 2005-2014

Occupational tree felling fatalities: 2010-2020

BACKGROUND

Logging and landscape work are among the most hazardous occupations, and one of the most dangerous tasks in these occupations is tree felling. While much research has been conducted to examine fatalities from logging and landscape services, there is a dearth of research looking specifically at tree felling. There is a need to focus on hazards associated with tree felling activities so that proactive prevention strategies can be developed.

METHODS

An Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) database was used to identify occupational tree-felling fatalities in the United States during the period from 2010 through the first half of 2020. We compared data for the two industry segments of logging and landscaping services.

RESULTS

There were 314 fatalities over the period. The victims were overwhelmingly male with the median age being 43. Struck-by was the number one event type causing fatalities, with the head being the number one body part involved in fatalities. Falls from elevation was the only event type significantly different between the logging and landscaping industries. Poor decision-making is noted as a key component of fatal incidents, but bystanders were fatally injured due to the actions of others.

CONCLUSIONS

Tree felling is one of the most hazardous activities for both loggers and commercial landscapers and is a common cause of fatalities; significant differences in events and source are encountered in those two occupations. Loggers should continue efforts to adopt mechanized harvesting methods. Landscape services tree fellers should receive training related to fall prevention.

Decomposing Differences in Poor Self-rated Health between Those in Agriculture and Natural Resource Occupations and the Rest of the Labor Force

Objective: Occupations in agriculture and natural resources persistently have some of the highest rates of injury and illness. Additionally, these fields are dominated by segments of the population known to demonstrate poorer health, such as those with less education, lower family income, and more irregular labor force participation. Thus, it is unclear if health disparities between those in these sectors and the rest of the labor force are unique to these occupations, or a reflection of their demographic composition. The objective of this study was to determine how much of the difference in self-rated health between those who work agriculture and natural resource occupations - meaning farming, forestry, fishing, hunting, and resource extraction - and the rest of the labor force was due to demographic characteristics versus unexplained factors unique to the occupations.Methods: Using the National Health Interview Survey from 2008 to 2017, a two-way Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition of linear probability models predicting poor self-rated health between those reporting agriculture and natural resource occupations and other working adults with sociodemographic characteristics was performed.Results: Results show more than the total difference in the probability of poor self-rated health between the two groups (0.0173) can be explained by demographic composition (0.0303). If the agriculture and natural resource workforce had the average demographic composition between them and the rest of the labor force, they would have lower rates of poor self-rated health than the broader labor force.Conclusion: While agriculture and natural resource occupations are hazardous, the prevalence of poor self-rated health in the labor force is not unique to these occupations, but appears common among all occupations dominated by those with low income and education.