Logging is a large industry in Washington State. With the scale and potential dangers in the logging industry, laws, and extensive regulations are in place to make it safe for workers. Loggers and logging companies must understand the safety laws and regulations in place to prevent logging accidents and workplace injuries.
This blog post will break down the Washington Administrative Code, 296-54-513. WAC 296-54-513 specifically outlines the arrangement of work areas and emergency contact.
Logging Work Areas Regulations
When working on a logging site, applying the appropriate distance from both trees and other workers can save lives.
WAC 296-54-513 enforces the following workplace conditions:
- Employee work areas need to be spaced and organized to prevent employees from causing hazards to each other
- Work areas must be assigned
- Trees cannot fall into another work area
- The distance between work areas needs to be at least two tree lengths
- The distance between work areas needs to reflect other hazards prevalent in the area
These appropriate work area spacing regulations will work to prevent workplace injuries from occurring on a logging site.
Logging Emergency Contact Regulations
Through strong communication and situational awareness, loggers can prevent injuries on site. Washington State’s series of communication regulations for logging sites is aimed at ensuring that logging employees and logging companies are prepared for any emergency.
These communication regulations include:
- Each employee must be within visual, audible, or radio/telephone contact with another person in case of an emergency
- Each employee must have visual or audible signal contact with another employee every 30 minutes if they are cutting trees and for all other tasks every two hours
- Employers must ensure that there is a mandatory way of checking in with employees in the woods at the end of every shift
- Each logging worksite must include at least one serviceable and operable two-way radio, phone, or radio/phone
- Each logging site must include an emergency medical plan in case of a workplace logging injury or illness
These are just some of the provisions written in WAC 296-54-513. If you are an employee of a logging company that did not adequately ensure that you are protected during work resulting in an injury, it is best to reach out to a personal injury lawyer.
What to do in a Logging Accident?
Accidents on logging sites are usually the result of safety negligence. When workplace injuries occur on a logging site, it is important to seek medical help right away. It is also advised to contact a personal injury lawyer to help you with your case as you recover physically, emotionally, and financially.
If you have been involved in a logging accident injury, please call 800-273-5005 or email our attorneys at attorneys@glpattorneys.com to schedule a free lawyer consultation.