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1. Wear the seat belt while operating the unit.

2. Operate the skidder at proper speeds for the load, weather, and ground condition.

3. Keep blade, grapple, and rigging clear of the ground and obstructions while skidding or moving.

4. Keep head, arms, and legs inside operator's compartment.

5. Never mount or dismount a moving machine.

6. Maintain regularly used skid trails by removing hazardous obstacles (dead snags, spring poles, felled trees, logs).

7. Maintain safe operating distances from other machines, workers, and operations.

8. When setting chokers for cable skidders:

a. Inspect cables and chokers frequently for damage. Replace as needed.
b. If using a choker setter, always have the worker use signals to indicate safe skidder movement, winching, or stopping.
c. Stop the skidder, ground the blade, and set the brakes before dismounting.
d. Always set chokers on the log butt end unless there is a safe way to skid top first. Never set chokers in the middle of a log.
e. When hooking or releasing chokers, be careful of hands, fingers, feet, and legs. Never unhook a tight choker.
f. Stand to the side of chokers when hooking or releasing. Do not straddle the choker.
g. Always allow the skidder to pull loose hung up chokers or cable under tension.
h. Always be alert to sudden, unexpected log movements.
i. The choker setter should stand a safe distance to the rear and side of the moving load.

9. When winching a load, try to maintain a reasonably level position.

a. Keep the fairlead in a straight line with the mainline when winching.
b. Do not winch at severe angles.
c. Ease the skidder forward during the final winching phase to allow proper bunching of the logs. This will prevent binding to the rear of the skidder.
d. On sloping ground winch the logs uphill. Never winch the logs across the slope.

10. If using a grapple skidder:

a. Maintain as level a position as possible.
b. Grapple logs behind the machine and not at an angle.
c. Raise the grapple before moving.

11. Operate the winch or grapple controls only while seated in the machine--never from the ground.

12. Never overload a machine. Carry a load that is safe, within the capacity of the machine, and suitable for woods, ground, and terrain conditions.

13. Position the load safely to permit clearance of ground obstructions and prevent swaying or bumping against the skidder butt plate.

14. Select the safest route. Avoid brush piles, tops, limbs, rocks, stumps, and adverse ground conditions when possible.

15. To avoid rollover skid up or down the slope. Never skid across the slope.

16. On steep terrain avoid any abrupt turns uphill. Back down the slope and go straight uphill.

17. When traveling downhill maintain a low gear and maximum engine rpms to reduce overspeed and possible brake wear.

18. Reduce skidder speed when turning. Avoid tight turns under load.

19. If cable skidding, drop the load, proceed through the adverse condition, and winch the load to the skidder.

20. Be cautious of load hang ups. Hang ups can damage cable, chokers, grapple, skidder and injure an unsuspecting operator.

21. Drive defensively. Think ahead and anticipate hazards. Adjust speed to allow for any needed defensive action. Watch for snags, limbs, tops, saplings, and lodged trees that may fall on or enter the operator's compartment.

22. Know where crew members are at all times. Be alert to unexpected workers or operations in the immediate skidding area.

23. Immediately push or pull all lodged trees to the ground.

24. Always look behind when backing the skidder.

25. At the landing area:

a. Be cautious of and courteous to other workers.
b. Approach the landing at a safe speed.
c. If necessary wait for landing workers to move a safe distance from the landing area, then proceed with load.
d. Use caution, and keep track of your load when turning on the landing.
e. Winch or release the load only when all workers are clear of the area.
f. If log loading operations are in progress, wait for the loader to clear boom, grapple, and moving logs before entering the landing area.
g. Use the blade to clear debris from the landing area in order to permit safe worker movements. Never attempt to clear the landing area while pulling a load.
h. Keep the skidder on the ground. Avoid riding across logs on the landing area before releasing the load. Use extreme caution when the skidder is used for pushing logs onto the pile on the landing. The skidder blade can be used for this purpose, but the operator should not ride up onto the log pile.

26. Do not operate skidders during adverse weather conditions.

27. Always lower the blade, release cable, set brake, and lower grapple and other attachments to the ground when stopped. Remain near the unit and allow for proper cool down time at the end of the day.

28. Gate delimbing. Gate delimbing is accomplished by backing a load of trees through an open grid metal gate, free standing or attached to trees. This method of delimbing breaks tree limbs from the stems and is safer than chainsaw delimbing. Gate delimbing does pose hazards to the skidder operator.

a. Keep the front of the gate area as free as possible of accumulated limbs and debris.
b. Use the skidder blade to clear the gate area.
c. Use a guide tree to keep the trees in line while backing through the delimbing gate.
d. Never try to back large trees through a gate. Tree, skidder, or gate damage may result.
e. Reduce the load size for easier backing and less strain on the machine.
f. Always look back while backing. Be alert to the possibility of stem butts entering the rear of the skidder and the operator's compartment.
g. Use caution when moving the gate in the woods.
h. Properly secure the gate on a lowboy, trailer, or transport vehicle when moving.
i. During gate delimbing operations never allow workers to stand close to the operations area.

29. Remember--Operate your skidder safely, carefully, and responsibly. Don't be a cowboy. The logging operation is not a rodeo.

©2005 National Timber Harvesting and Transportation Safety Foundation