HAND SIGNALS FAIL TO COMMUNICATE

June 2003
03-S-13

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BACKGROUND: The State Department of Environmental Quality had visited a logging job and advised the logging company that it had 48 hours to remove all tree tops from a creek that ran through the logging location. It was a hot, humid day in the South.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: A 38-year-old woods worker had been employed for approximately 18 years in the logging business. He had completed the necessary training to meet state requirements and had all the appropriate safety equipment in use.

UNSAFE ACT/CONDITION: The woods worker was in knee-deep water, setting the chokers to one of the tree tops in the creek. He signaled the skidder operator to tighten the cable. The choker setter had his hand on the cable when the cable became tight, trapping his hand between the cable and the tree top.

ACCIDENT: When the cable tightened, the skidder driver was momentarily distracted. The choker setter's hand was crushed by the cable.

INJURY: The choker setter suffered two broken fingers and several bones in his hand were broken. He missed six weeks of work and had to have physical therapy to regain the use of the injured hand.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CORRECTION:

• Since the noise level on most logging jobs requires communications other than verbal, signaling systems should be discussed at safety meetings with the entire crew. OSHA requires that no yarding (or skidding) line be moved unless the machine operator has clearly received and understood the signal to do so.
• All employees should work to reduce distraction during skidding operations.
• Take extra precautions when working in unusual conditions.

Forest Resources Association Inc.
600 Jefferson Plaza, Suite 350, Rockville, Maryland 20852
Phone: (301) 838-9385     Fax: (301) 838-9481