Mechanized logging risk classes are only assigned to businesses who meet specific requirements.

Contact your account manager and schedule a L&I site survey to get approved for the mechanized logging risk classes.

All equipment used must have a protective cab and is required to meet DOSH guidelines for roll over protection standards (ROPS) and falling object protection standards (FOPS)

You may qualify for risk class 5005-00 for logging and/or tree thinning — mechanized operations if no workers or sub-contractors are performing manual logging activities during the logging contract.

Logging machine operators have their own mechanized logging risk class 5005-01, to qualify your company must have:

• Protective cabs for equipment such as a feller buncher, processor, forwarder, skidder, log loader, or tower/yarder; and
• The operator doesn’t usually leave the cab to perform logging operation duties

Approved? Once your business is approved for mechanized logging rates you are responsible for filing a Mechanized Logging Supplemental Quarterly Report (F212-223-000) in addition to your quarterly report.

Any time workers are hand felling trees from the ground, all work must be reported in risk class 5001-03 Logging NOC.

Occasionally workers may need to hand fall a tree because it is oversized or the terrain is too steep to safely operate machinery. This work is more hazardous and not included in the mechanized logging risk classes 5005-00 or 5005-01.

You may split hours between 5001-03 (Logging NOC) and other logging classes such as 5005-00 (Mechanized logging) or 5005-01 (Logging machine operators) as long as you maintain accurate records to reflect the time spent in each risk class. Without original time records, a machine operator who performs any work outside the cab at the logging side will have all of their hours assigned to risk class 5001-03.

You must keep accurate, original time records for workers or all hours will be assigned to risk class 5001-03 (Logging NOC).

Employees who operate a tower/yarder are reported in:

5001-03 Logging, N.O.C.

• When operating the tower/yarder on the ground.
• When working outside of the cab for setup or teardown of the tower/yarder.

5005-01 Logging machine operators

• When working inside the cab as a logging machine operator if accurate records are maintained.

In mechanized logging, most injuries occur when operators slip entering or exiting the cab of the machine or they jump from the machine's tracks.

Train your operators to:

• Use handrails
• Wear appropriate shoes
• Be cautious when tracks are wet or slippery
• Avoid jumping from the machine tracks

For more information visit Get Started With Safety & Health