A  Michigan Jobs & Career Portal  service.

Logging Workers perform all the duties necessary to convert standing trees into forms suitable for processing and then deliver them to mills, manufacturing plants, or other processing centers.

JOB DUTIES

Logging Workers may:

Sharpen equipment properly

Clear brush from work areas and escape route

Chop down trees using a chainsaw or heavy equipment

Cut limbs from felled trees

Saw and grade felled trees into logs of specified lengths

Fasten chokers around logs for removal to loading area or mill

Drive tractor (skidder) to skid logs from forest

Load logs onto trucks or railroad cars

Clean, oil, and grease equipment

Perform minor equipment repairs

The tools and equipment used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

Logging Workers may specialize in these areas:

454.684-018 ALL-ROUND LOGGERS cut down trees and prepare them for final logging operations. They perform all the general duties of a Logging Worker.

929.663-010 LOGGING-TRACTOR OPERATORS drive tractors equipped with one accessory or with more accessories, such as bulldozer blade, grapple, or tray. They skid load, unload, or stack logs; pull stumps; clear brush; and build roads and landings.

454.384-010 FALLERS (or Fellers) use chainsaws to cut down trees. They must be able to judge where to place the cuts so the tree will fall in a particular direction and minimize tree damage.

454.683-010 TREE-SHEAR OPERATORS drive tractors equipped with hydraulically operated accessories which cut down trees.

454.684-010 BUCKERS saw felled trees into logs of a certain length.

921.687-014 CHOKE SETTERS (or choker setters) attach a metal cable (choker) around logs so they may be hauled from the cutting area to the loading area.

454.684-026 TREE CUTTERS cut down trees of specified size and type, trim limbs from trees, and cut trees into lengths for firewood, fence posts, or plywood. They use chainsaws, measuring tools, and axes.

454.687-010 CHAINSAW OPERATORS trim limbs, tops, and roots of felled trees and saw logs into predetermined lengths to prepare them for removal from the forest or for processing into wood products.

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Supervision of Logging Workers is minimal. Usually there is one supervisor, the contractor or jobber, for a crew of 3 to 6 workers.

Logging Workers work outdoors 95% of the time. Work areas may be wet, muddy, and hot during the summer. During the winter, it may be difficult for crews to work because of snow and low temperatures. New harvesting and processing equipment allows machine crews to continue felling and processing trees when there are low temperatures and snow since the Worker is inside an enclosed cab. In general, cutting goes on through the winter unless the snow becomes too deep for Loggers to work and machines to operate. Logging Workers may not cut down trees during deer hunting season and may not work when it is raining. Logging may also stop during the spring thaws when the ground is too soft. Some Logging Workers may work 9 to 11 months of the year if wood markets are good.

Hazards include injury from falling trees, rolling logs, and falling branches; cuts and burns from saws; and falls while walking in difficult terrain. They are subject to dust and vibration noise from equipment. Therefore, Workers must remain alert and safety conscious at all times while on the job.

Timber cutting and Logging Workers' schedules depend on the wood market, the weather, and the employer. They usually work a 5-day, 40-hour week when possible. When they can't work a weekday because of poor weather conditions, they may work Saturdays. Some crews determine their own hours and usually work 30-35 hours a week. They may travel 20 to 45 miles from home to a worksite and may provide their own transportation.

Logging Workers who fell trees must buy their own chainsaws which cost about $250-$350. Some own three saws so that they will not miss any work. They must also buy safety shoes, pants or chaps (apron-like covers for the front of legs only), a hard hat, gas and oil for their chainsaw(s), files, and related maintenance equipment. They are responsible for keeping saws in working conditions.

You Should Prefer:

• Working with things and objects

• Working with machines or tools

• Doing routine, organized work

You Should Be Able To:

• Remain alert and safety conscious

• Be responsible and cooperative

• Learn new skills and methods and do more than one job

• Demonstrate mechanical ability or knowledge of machinery

• Continuously perform the same work

• Work under stressful situations

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

Using a caliper to measure the diameter of a tree, find a tree that is 24-36 inches in circumference by converting the calliper reading into a measurement of circumference.

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

Fells trees in specified direction, skids logs to landing, may use logging arch, cable winches, hoisting rack and crane boom.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

Write a summary of the logs you are delivering to the mill.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

Should be able to demonstrate analytical skills and be detail oriented in assessing trees to be cut and operating logging equipment.

Employers in the logging industry prefer high school graduates for entry level positions because of the technical skills and equipment now used in logging. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, due to hazardous conditions of the occupation.

[back to top]

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: On-The-Job Training provided by the employer or a High School Diploma or Equivalent may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0100 AGRISCIENCE , 0500 BUILDING TRADES , 0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 2200 MATH , 2900 SCIENCE , 3400 WOODS

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this MOIScript

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

There are no Postsecondary Programs related to this MOIScript

Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAM***

Please check the Military web site at http://www.myfuture.com

CARGO SPECIALISTS

The military delivers supplies, weapons, equipment, and mail to United States forces in many parts of the world. Military cargo travels by ship, truck, or airplane. It must be handled carefully to ensure safe arrival at the correct destination. Cargo specialists load and unload military supplies and material using equipment such as forklifts and cranes. They also plan and organize schedules.

What They Do

Cargo specialists in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

• Load supplies into trucks, transport planes, and railroad cars using forklifts

• Load equipment such as jeeps, trucks, and weapons aboard ships, using dockyard cranes

• Pack and crate boxes of supplies for shipping

• Inspect cargo for damage

• Plan and inspect loads for balance and safety

• Check cargo against invoices to make sure the amount and destination of material are correct

Physical Demands

Cargo specialists must lift and carry heavy cargo.

Training Provided

Job training consists of 2 to 6 weeks of classroom instruction, including practice in loading cargo. Course content typically includes:

• Operation and care of forklifts, power winches, and cranes

• Techniques for loading and storing cargo

• Techniques for planning and scheduling cargo shipments

• Safety procedures for handling potentially dangerous cargo

Further training occurs on the job.

Helpful Attributes

Helpful school subjects include general office and business mathematics. Helpful attributes include:

• Interest in working with forklifts and cranes

• Preference for physical work

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian cargo specialists work for trucking firms air cargo companies, and shipping lines. They perform duties similar to military cargo specialists. Depending on specialty, they may also be called industrial truck operators, stevedores, longshoremen, material handlers, or cargo checkers.

Work Environment

Cargo specialists work outdoors on loading docks and indoors in warehouses.

Opportunities

The services have about 2,500 cargo specialists. On average, they need about 300 new cargo specialists each year. After job training, cargo specialists work in teams preparing and loading cargo for shipment under the direction of supervisors. In time, they may advance to become team leaders or supervisors of other cargo specialists. Eventually, they may become warehouse managers. 

E-Learning Courses and Programs  

[back to top]

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Part-time and summer employment may be available to students in logging camp offices or in repair or maintenance shops. Jobs in surveying or forest protection also give students a chance to observe. Logging Workers on the job. However, because of hazardous working conditions, actual on-the-job training is available only after reaching 18 years of age. Military service may also offer opportunities for experience.

                School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships

mentorships

job shadowing experiences

touring a local Logging Worker employer

internships

volunteer work with a Logging Worker employer

community service work with an agency

The most common method of finding a job as a Logging Worker is direct application to employers. Assistance may be obtained from newspaper want ads or an office of Michigan Works!. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:

Michigan Talent Bank

America's Job Bank

Classifieds Employment

Yahoo! Careers

Michigan Works!

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

[back to top]

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Earnings of Logging Workers depend upon the lumber market, the skill of the worker, the employer, and the weather. Machine crew workers are aid on an hourly basis while most other workers are paid on a piece rate basis.

Nationally, in 1999, the median weekly wage for Forestry and Logging Workers was $511 or about $12.78 per hour. The average hourly pay received by production workers in the logging industry was $13.24 in early 2000.

In Michigan, wages of Logging Workers are comparable to those earned nationally. State-wide average hourly earnings in early 2000 for workers in the lumber and wood products industry were $11.70 per hour.

Due to the high turnover rate of industry workers, beginning Logging Workers may be paid minimum wage or by the stick (per piece cut). They may receive a bonus on a weekly basis if they cut more wood than is expected. Those who operate heavy automated machinery receive much higher rates of pay.

Most Loggers are covered by worker's compensation. A few may receive health and life insurance and a pension plan.

Promotional opportunities are limited. With additional training, some Logging Workers may become equipment operators in a machine crew or begin their own business.

[back to top]

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

In 1998, there were about 85,300 timber cutting and Logging Workers employed nationally. Employment of Logging Workers is expected to show little or no change through the year 2008. Some openings will still occur to replace workers who retire, die, or change jobs or occupations. Additionally, about 22.8% of them were self-employed. The industry distribution for Logging Workers looked like this:

The outlook of the logging industry is expected to decline due to recently passed Endangered Species Act which lists the northern spotted owl as a threatened species. This legislation has restricted logging on some public lands of the Pacific Northwest. This constraint on the lumber supply caused a jump in the price of lumber. Builders may substitute metal and plastic, and such reconstituted wood products as laminated veneer framing lumber made from smaller and less costly trees. Indications are that the private sector will be able to make up most of the volume that the new legislation restricts from export.

The demand for workers will vary with their skills. Since most logging operations in the U.S. are concentrated in the Pacific Northwest, most openings are expected in that area. Most Logging Workers have periods of unemployment due to inclement weather.

There were about 1,500 Logging Workers employed in Michigan. Nearly all were employed by logging contractors, sawmills, and companies which make various wood products.

Employment of Logging Workers in Michigan is expected to decline through the year 2006. An average of 60 openings per year is expected, due to the replacement of workers who retire, die, or leave the labor force. Additional openings will occur as Workers change jobs or occupations.

Increased demand for products made from wood should contribute to more stable employment for Logging Workers. A growing number of people using wood stoves for supplementary heat will also increase the demand for firewood. However, because of the use of labor-saving machinery, such as feller-bunchers, slashers, and other modern equipment, employment growth will be limited. In addition, decreased demand during recessions for wood and wood products used in construction will limit opportunities for Logging Workers during these periods.

MICHIGAN'S AREA EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2006

MSA designates a Metropolitan Statistical Area.

[back to top]

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.

MOISCRIPTS are Copyright 2003, Michigan Department of Career Development