A new guideline has been published by Washington State to guide these logging practices.
The document begins by giving an overview of what steep slope machine (SSM) logging is and a brief history of its development. Examples of different SSM configurations are provided. The impacts of SSM harvesting are presented under the headings of economic impacts (employment, capital costs, production and utilisation) and safety and other impacts (increased hazards for timber fallers, increased hazards for rigging crew members, and reduced hazards from SSM logging. It then briefly covers the development of best management and operating practices.
Detailed information on the best management practices is covered under the following headings:
- General planning (including pre-job planning)
- Working with manual timber fallers
- Check in procedures
- Emergency procedures
- Personal protective equipment
- The steep slope machine
The SSM itself is examined more closely, with the design and operating requirements examined. The actual operational aspects are then covered under the headings of felling with a SSM, logging with a SSM and wire rope side wash. The machine and equipment inspection is well covered, with annexures proving further training materials on this aspect. Repairs, training and general recommendations are also included.
The document then moves to equipment best practices, where aspects such as wire ropes, chains, anchors, shackles, poured sockets and straps are explained. The document concludes by discussing high wear components such as shackles, poured sockets, hitches, chains, wire ropes. The document is a handy contribution to the general body of literature which is building regarding this important and continually developing logging practice.
The guide was published March 2018 as Technical Report Number 98-01-2018, as part of the SHARP programme of the Washington State Department of Labor and Statistics. Source