Musculoskeletal and Ergonomic Safety for Forest Workers

Recorded On: 12/13/2023

Summary: Forest workers face unique ergonomic challenges due to their exposure to extreme environmental conditions, heavy workload, and dangerous tools and machines. The forest sector has one of the highest rates of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs), almost 100 times higher than the industrial targets the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) set. This program is intended to help forest workers identify ergonomic issues leading to musculoskeletal injuries and discover resources to aid in injury treatment and prevention.

Objectives: At the end of the webinar, participants will be able to…

1. Identify work site hazards and potential resulting musculoskeletal injuries.

2. Identify three initiatives aimed at reducing risks related to musculoskeletal injuries.

3. Locate evidence-based resources in the forestry health and safety field that address ergonomic security.

Intended Audience: This course is intended for workers in forestry and logging, including fallers, first-line supervisors/managers of forestry workers, logging equipment operators, sawing machine setters, operators and tenders, and truck drivers.

Abigail Kahrs, MPH

Program Coordinator

AgriSafe Network

Abigail Kahrs is the Program Coordinator for AgriSafe. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science as well as a Master’s in Public Health. She organizes, and coordinates educational opportunities and resources for farmers, farm labor contractors, farm workers, and their families on issues associated with health and work safety (pesticide safety, weather protection, and other occupational hazards) as well as overall agricultural worker family well-being. She primarily assists in the scheduling, training, and reporting of women’s health, infectious diseases, and youth safety programs at AgriSafe Network.