Qualitative perspectives on safety, health, and productivity from Northeast United States loggers: Implications for industry sustainability

The logging industry in the United States has experienced a shift from conventional to mechanized operations. While logging remains the most fatal industry in the US, the protection of the operator inside an equipment cab has had positive impacts on safety. However, mechanization has introduced new health and safety risks for loggers. In this study, we sought to expand our knowledge of health and safety concerns by conducting semi-structured interviews with loggers in the northeastern US, specifically New York, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Using a 17-question interview guide, 29 interviews were conducted and recorded. Interviews were transcribed and coded using a qualitative thematic analysis approach in NVivo 12. Discovered themes included: health risks associated with mechanization and mental stress related to financial burdens, difficulty accessing health insurance, and the public's view of the industry. Participants expressed their concerns over health risks associated with prolonged machinery usage, especially weight gain. Loggers shared that financial stress was often a result of debt accrual from equipment purchases and unstable timber markets. Few of the loggers interviewed had health insurance and cited that because of the expense and perceived benefits, it was not a priority. Lastly, loggers shared their concerns over the prevalence of untrained logging operations negatively impacting the industry and how it affects their businesses. With these data, we can better identify strategies that would effectively reach and assist loggers to improve their health and safety conditions at work, allowing companies to reduce the economic impacts associated with illness and injury.