Under the Solar Eclipse: A Day of Logger Safety and Education in Northwest Pennsylvania
Do you remember all the talk about the solar eclipse earlier in the year? The buildup and anticipation, especially if you lived anywhere near its projected path? I do! The media hype influenced me so much that I made sure my travel plans went right under the eclipse at 3:15 pm sharp!
I was traveling on “solar eclipse” day to present at the Kane Area Logger and Sawmiller Safety Meeting in northwest Pennsylvania (PA). It was their annual meeting, and they were celebrating 55 years of logging safety. I was thrilled to be asked to speak, and I knew this organization was all about improving logger safety, education, and training. The afternoon class was about “Fire”. It was taught by the PA Game Commission, PA Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources, and local firefighting experts. The loggers attending this class learned about Pennsylvania’s growing use of prescribed fire as a forest management tool and what to do in the event of a fire, including how to protect yourself and your equipment. Loggers attending the class earned CE credit toward their Pennsylvania Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implementation Committee credentials.
As I looked around the parking lot, I saw new logging equipment displayed across the perimeter, ready for a logger’s inspection, including the 101 questions he would ask. The West Penn Power Company had a demonstration of electrical safety and what loggers shouldn’t do around power lines. This session was not only informational but exciting because the wires sparked and shot out balls of fire – always sure to get a logger’s attention! Many other service supplier vendors displayed their products and services as well. The meeting included activities such as a raffle for a new STIHL 500i chainsaw, which raised money for a local charity.
During my presentation, I shared information about FRA and my experience with logger safety training. I described the Timber Harvesting and Transportation Safety (THATS) Foundation’s new safety initiative, the “Six Rules for Logging Safety.” The following day, I rode with a forester who worked for a large private land company. We visited a logging job, and I talked to the loggers about safety and their experiences. Some of our conversations included hard hats and the newest technology available for loggers. It was refreshing to hear how they believed in safety equipment and to hear some of their personal experiences about why it worked for them.
On my drive home, I thought about what I’d seen and heard at the meeting, the many loggers, foresters, industry personnel, and others attending, and what was accomplished. This meeting was a great example of agencies and industry working together to keep loggers living, listening, and looking at ways to be safer and better at what they do. The safety training and continuing education work was making a difference with the loggers in their region.
