26 The Mainline Safety & Health An Alarming Uptick in Rigging Crew Struck-by Accidents ›By Leonard Lulay, Sr. Safety Management Consultant As safety professionals, anytime we hear of a rigging worker getting struck-by an object we think of the worse. I can relate to these types of accidents after being employed as a logger for 18 years (prior to working for AOL), and experienced more than one close call. There were many incidents that made my knees weak, and definitely some close calls that I will never forget. It’s time we think hard on how we are going to decrease these types of accidents. We have all heard the workforce is not what it used to be, and I’m sure that does have something to do with it. But it’s time we do something about it. The first thing I think of is a proper training program with most of it done onsite. Back in the day, a new hire would not even touch a whistle/bug for the first year and when they did, it was under supervision. Be careful in handing a whistle to a new hire without really knowing that crewperson’s capability. The following are the OR-OSHA reported rigging accidents that occurred from 03/01/2023–03/05/2024. These would be excellent topics for safety meetings: 5/9/23 – Hospitalization: Struck-By The injured employees were working at a logging site. Logs were going up to the landing when rocks became loose and rolled down the hill, striking two employees. One employee was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Springfield, OR, where he was hospitalized with injuries unknown. The other employee was transported to the hospital by pickup, was evaluated and treated for contusions, and then released. 5/17/23 – Hospitalization: Struck-By The injured employee was bucking (cutting) a log on a hill and was below the log when it rolled over him, injuring his left leg and hip. Another employee helped the injured employee onto a stretcher and then into a vehicle and drove him to Salem Hospital.
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