Felling heavy trees and moving logs can be dangerous work. Forestry employees must abide by critical safety processes to reduce risk as much as possible. To help you stay on top of safe behavior in the forestry industry, check out our top forestry safety procedures. This list can help you develop a logging safety program or otherwise improve safety on the job site.

Forestry Safety Procedures

Here's our top six tips for keeping forestry work as safe as possible:

1. Foster a culture of safety. All workers should be well-aware of the hazards that face them and how to prepare. This is easier to establish when leadership promotes safe behavior and creates a culture of teamwork. Supervisors should conduct regular training sessions about safety and ensure rules are followed, as well as encourage employees to work as a team and keep an eye on each other.
2. Encourage employees to show up healthy and alert. When working around heavy equipment and felled trees, it's important that workers are in good mental and physical condition. They should never come to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and it's a good idea to stress the influence of cognitive awareness on safety in the workplace.
3. Wear personal protective equipment (PPE). Employees must abide by OSHA guidelines at all times, including wearing hard hats, safety glasses, foot protection and hearing protection. Certain workers may need to take extra caution depending on their position.
4. Watch for overhead hazards at all times. Working in forestry means that fallen limbs and trees can be particularly dangerous to logging employees. A culture of awareness for overhead hazards can go a long way in ensuring these workers stay alert and avoid putting themselves in risky situations. Consider separating workers by at least two tree lengths during felling to minimize injury.
5. Pay special attention to manual felling. Manual felling activities are especially risky, so appropriate planning procedures should be maintained at all times. Be sure to select a safe fall direction, create notches and hinges correctly, protect the hinge on the backcut and utilize the escape path when felling a tree.
6. Keep equipment in good condition. Mechanical logging work can open workers up to risk during maintenance and repair, as well as create hazards if the machinery is not maintained correctly. Always inspect the equipment appropriately and follow a regular maintenance schedule. Ensure elements are grounded before working on the machine and use the parking brake.

By following these safety guidelines and others in place by governing bodies like OSHA, you can better promote safety in forestry and logging environments and help employees stay safe.

Renting Forestry Equipment From The Cat® Rental Store

One important part of a safe work environment is using equipment that is reliable and well-maintained. The Cat® Rental Store carries a wide range of forestry and logging equipment from leading brands like Caterpillar and many others. Learn more about our products or request a quote by calling 1-800-RENT-CAT today. You can also browse our equipment online to see our selection and find what you need.