Forestry equipment operator

Forestry equipment operators carry out operations with specialised equipment in the forest to maintain, harvest, extract and forward wood for the manufacturing of consumer goods and industrial products.

Forestry equipment operators typically do the following:

• Cut down trees
• Fasten cables around logs to be dragged by tractors
• Operate machinery that drag logs to the landing or deck area
• Separate logs by species and type of wood and load them onto trucks
• Drive and maneuver feller–buncher tree harvesters to shear trees and cut logs into desired lengths
• Grade logs according to characteristics such as knot size and straightness
• Inspect equipment for safety, and perform necessary basic maintenance tasks, before using the equipment

Forestry equipment operators may work primarily in comfortable cabs, or outdoors in noisy environments and extreme weather conditions. They may work on steep, wet or uneven terrain. Maintenance and minor repairs are commonly conducted on the machines in these outdoor environments. Operators regularly lift items weighing up to 10 kilograms. Occasionally they are required to manually lift loads weighing up to 20 kilograms.

Hours of work may include 12-hour shifts and night shifts. Operators may commute daily to the logging site or be away from home for periods of a week or more in isolated logging camps.

Forestry equipment operators are exposed to hazards associated with operating heavy equipment and working in a forest environment. Health and safety risks have been greatly reduced through advances in technology, safety engineering and operating procedures.

The following job titles also refer to forestry equipment operator:

logger
chainsaw operator
woodland equipment operator
site preparation machinery
brushing machines
mobile sawmill operator
woodcutter
excavators for site preparation or stump removal
woodman
planting machinery
forestry equipment operators
logging equipment operator
lumberjack

A high school diploma is generally the minimum required to work as a forestry equipment operator.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Forestry equipment operator is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to forestry equipment operator.

forestry machinery technician
tree surgeon
crosscut saw operator
debarker operator
chipper operator

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of forestry equipment operator. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of forestry equipment operator with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

timber trader
forestry technician
forestry inspector
snowboard instructor
ski instructor

These skills are necessary for the role of forestry equipment operator.

• Process timber using hand-fed machinery: Use hand-fed machinery for timber processing. Saw with a mobile saw bench, mechanically process firewood, split stakes, and use pointing machines, peelers and wood chippers.
• Manage logs segregation and stacking: Stack and segregate logs to enable ease of extraction, including placement of brash clear of timber zone.
• Minimise environmental impact on the surrounding area: Minimise the waste of materials and dispose of debris correctly. Minimise the damage to plants, features and surrounding areas.
• Carry out routine maintenance of wood cutting machinery: Inspect, clean, service and maintain the power unit in accordance with manufacturer requirements and industry guidelines. Inspect components within the power unit and maintain cutting systems in accordance with manufacturer recommendations by using appropriate tools to replace damaged, missing or worn components. Report appropriately on any defects. Carry out routine operator maintenance by performing pre-start checks and setting the machine for the use of reassemble chainsaws and cutting systems to their functional or operational standards.
• Identify trees to fell: Identify trees to fell and position machine to fell trees in the required direction, in both clear-fell and thinning.
• De-limb trees: De-limb trees ensuring that the quality is within specified limits.
• Assess hazards implied in tree operations: Evaluate risks and hazards, perform efficient actions in order to minimize risks and to restore the trees to their original state or to replant new ones.
• Assess felled timber volume: Measure the amount of timber felled using appropriate equipment. Take care of the equipment. Record the measured data.
• Process arisings from treework operations: Prepare arisings in accordance with the specification, the site, relevant legislation and industry guidelines . Process arisings appropriate to their condition, the specification and the site requirement.
• Maintain the security of machinery: Maintain the security of site machinery and equipment.
• Spray pesticides: Spray pesticide solutions to keep insects, fungus, weed growth, and diseases under control.
• Prepare emergency treework operations: Prepare and perform emergency tree work operations, typically as a result of car accidents involving the tree, damage due to storms, tree disease or infestation.
• Fell trees: Fell trees safely and effectively to specification.
• Extract coppice: Cut coppice to promote healthy re-growth of the coppice stool. Extract cut coppice using methods appropriate to the site and amount of material.
• Select tree felling methods: Select the appropriate felling method for the tree size and condition. Adhere to the given specification.
• Operate forestry machinery: Operate machinery on and off road for harvesting, forwarding and transportation of wood.
• Load timber onto a skidder: Load timber onto the skidder. Move trees and timber to an accumulation point and unload it for processing.
• Drive timber machine: Drive and manoeuver the machine to the timber in a safe and effective way within site restraints.
• Assess felled timber quality: Evaluate the quality of the felled timber.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of forestry equipment operator. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Timber products: Key features, advantages and limitations of the different timbers and timber based products sold at a company and where to access this information.
• Forest conservation: Understand forest conservation: the practice of planting and maintaining forested areas.
• Agronomy: The study of combining agriculture production and protection and regeneration of natural environment. Includes the principles and methods of critical selection and adequate application methods for sustainability in agriculture.
• Forest ecology: The ecosystems existing in a forest, starting from bacteria to trees and soil types.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of forestry equipment operator. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Attach protective attachments to timber piles: Attach various protective elements, such as boots or points, to the head and toe of timber piles in order to prevent damage to the pile from the stresses of pile driving. Take care to attach a timber pile point correctly to make sure the pile is driven straight down.
• Work independently in forestry services: Perform tasks individually in forestry services by taking decisions without help. Handle tasks and tackle with issues or problems without any outside assistance.
• Provide first aid: Administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation or first aid in order to provide help to a sick or injured person until they receive more complete medical treatment.
• Maintain forest inventory: Recognise growing crops in forests and woodlands. Record their numbers in a formal inventory. Take measures applying the appropriate techniques.
• Maintain edged hand tools: Identify and repair defects in a hand tool handle or shaft. Ensure the tool is in safe working condition. Identify defective and dull cutting edges in tools and use appropriate equipment to sharpen them. Store tools correctly to maintain condition and usage safety.
• Use ICT systems: Select and use ICT systems for a variety of complex tasks in order to meet a variety of needs.
• Advise on timber-based products: Use appropriate questioning techniques to get information from customers, advising the customers on the suitable uses for the different products in the organisation. Advise customers on the types of adhesives to use. Explain the limitations of products to customers.
• Inspect timber: Inspect timber sale sites and reforestation activities for compliance with permits and regulations.
• Comply with timber trade code of conduct: Promote consumer confidence in the workplace by watching over provided wood products and comply with their related legislation. Conduct business in a professional and transparent manner towards customers.
• Forecast timber production: Monitor and forecast timber production.
• Use hand tools for forestry work: Identify and use the tools required for the specific green wood trades and coppicing task. Work in a safe and effective manner.
• Forecast workload: Predict and define the workload that needs to be done in a certain amount of time and the time it would take to perform related tasks.
• Sharpen edged tools: Identify dull edges to sharp tools, or any defect in the edge. Use appropriate equipment to safely and effectively sharpen the tool. Maintain and protect sharpened tools. Report irreparable faults to the appropriate person.
• Maintain forestry equipment: Check forestry equipment to make sure that it is in working order.
• Operate GPS systems: Use GPS Systems.
• Advise on timber harvest: Provide guidance on how to apply the most appropriate timber harvesting method: clearcut, shelterwood, seed tree, group selection or single-tree selection.
• Limit load to prevent damage: Limit the size of the load on a skidder to avoid instability of the machine, loss of load, and damage to the product and the environment, including roads and tracks.
• Report pollution incidents: Examine the extent of the damage and consequences when an incident causes pollution, and report it to the relevant institution following pollution reporting procedures.
• Harvest timber: Organise and apply the most appropriate timber harvesting method: clear-cut, shelterwood, seed tree, group selection or single-tree selection.
• Report to the team leader: Keep the team leader informed on current and emerging issues.

8341 – Mobile farm and forestry plant operators

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References

1. Forestry equipment operator – ESCO
2. Logging Worker Career Profile | Job Description, Salary, and Growth – Truity
3. Logging/Forestry Equipment Operators: Occupations in Alberta – alis
4. Featured image: By Russel Wills, CC BY-SA 2.0