Retrospective Risk Assessment of Forestry Workers in the United States: Injuries, Fatalities, and Hazards Impacting Occupational Health

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Heidi Yvonne Knecht (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: Forestry (including logging) is one of the most hazardous occupations due to environmental, ergonomic, chemical, mechanical, mental, and physical components of the job. In the United States (US), workplace injuries account for one-third of all injuries and one-sixth of all fatal injuries among people ages 20-64 years of age. The fatal accident rate of forestry workers in the US is 19-times higher than other physically demanding industries such as construction and manufacturing. Forestry workers must deal with multiple workplace factors that range from moving heavy machinery and other job tasks while adapting to changes in terrain and weather. Forestry workers also may encounter wild animals, arachnids, insects, and snakes. Arboviruses (transmitted primarily by mosquitoes) and bacterial pathogens (transmitted primarily by ticks) are potential health threats to foresters. There are a limited number of studies that have retrospectively assessed work-related injuries/fatalities in forestry/logging industries and current literature is deficient on the additional health hazards associated with foresters. Consequently, the purpose of this study is to compile what is known about potential health and safety risks in foresters from the standpoint of biological (e.g., insects/arachnids, plants)\; chemical (e.g., pesticides)\; ergonomic (e.g., awkward postures, forceful motions)\; physical (extreme temperature, noise, vibrations, and radiation)\; psychosocial (e.g., workplace factors that cause stress, strain, or interpersonal problems for the worker)\; and safety (e.g., beetles and trucking) hazards that impact the overall health and injury status of workers. The aims of this study on forestry workers are to: 1) Analyze causes of injuries/fatalities to inform future intervention studies focused on risk mitigation, 2) Build the foundation for using multiple databases to analyze trends in injuries/fatalities, 3) Determine whether there are any trends/associations between work-related risk factors and workplace injuries/fatalities among foresters/loggers over a 16-year period (2003-2019), 4) Evaluate trends in injuries/fatalities to determine where intervention efforts are most needed, 5) Systematically review current knowledge on health hazards in the forestry industry, and 6) Identify knowledge gaps related to forestry and logging injuries, and fatalities for future studies to address. Our findings determined that, for the period of study (2003-2018 for fatalities\; 2005-2019 for injuries), “contact with objects and equipment” was the primary cause of injuries and fatalities. “Transportation”-related incidents ranked second for the cause of fatalities, while “falls, slips, & trips” was the second leading cause of injuries. Our systematic review of recent literature showed that while many studies have focused on machinery related injuries and deaths, some areas of occupational health in the forestry industry have been understudied with in the US in the last ten years. Areas identified as needing additional study include chemical exposures from pesticides and diesel exhaust, cold and heat related illnesses, and exposure to ticks and mosquitoes. Our findings identified major gaps in knowledge for health and safety of US forestry/ logging workers and occupational health outcomes. Future research should focus on these areas with an emphasis on intervention strategies that eliminate or mitigate the deleterious health effects of occupational exposures. By identifying specific needs of the forestry industry, more appropriate interventions and aids can be designed and implemented to benefit worker health and safety. Here, we have identified several areas of research that need to be addressed in the future. The areas identified here should be addressed in a collaborative effort between researchers and the forestry industry to promote worker health and safety.

Additional Information

Publication

Dissertation

Language: English

Date: 2023

Subjects

Forestry;Logging;Occupational Safety;Occupational Health

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