Forestry services work occurs nationwide yet is often hidden from the public eye. Injury and illness rates among workers in the forestry services industry are 2 to 3 times the rates of the average US worker, and fatality rates are 10 times as high (US BLS). It can be dangerous work, with job tasks involving the use of chainsaws, falling and burning trees and branches, carrying and lifting heavy loads, applying herbicides, and frequent awkward and repetitive motions. This industry manages forests for future harvest, reforestation, ecosystem management, and fuel management to prevent catastrophic wildfires.
Common injuries include severe cuts, strains and sprains, broken bones and dehydration. The largely migrant workforce in this industry is essential to US forest management, yet face added safety and health barriers because of contracted employment, lack of English and literacy proficiency, working in remote locations, and limited skills training.
Selected Articles & Resources
- Bilingual Pesticide Labels for Reforestation Worker Safety
- Work Organization and Injury Outcomes among Latino Forest Workers, Wilmsen 2019
- Working in the Shadows: Safety and Health in Forestry Services in Southern Oregon, Wilmsen 2015
- At Work in the Woods: Occupational Hazards of Harvesting Non-Timber Forest Products in the Pacific, Keifer 2019
- Forestry - Integrating Safety in a Time of Rapid Change, Harrington 2021
- Occupational Safety and Health in Forest Harvesting and Silviculture, Garland 2020
- Accident Analysis in Forestry: A practical field guide, Garland 2018
PNASH Resources
Online training. Oregon Yarding & Loading Safety. In English and Spanish
Migrant Clinician’s Network, Wildfire Resources
Offers resources and practical strategies to address the health impacts of wildfire smoke.
Critical Incident: Crew Stress Debrief | Incidente Crítico: Diálogo con el grupo de trabajadores
PNASH Research
Hands on the Land Project: Resource Clearinghouse for Forestry Services Workers
USDA through Oregon State University Forestry Extension 2025-2030 | Edward Kasner, PhD
Learn moreForestry Workforce Location- and Wearable-based Activity Recognition to Quantify on-the Job Digital Health and Safety Metrics
NIOSH Funding Period 2022-2027 | Robert Keefe, PhD and Eloise Zimbelman, PhD
Learn moreSafety and Health Training for NW Restoration Forestry Services Workers
OSHA Susan Harwood Grant 2024-2025 | Michael Yost
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