Alternative Outcomes for Evaluating Logger Safety Programs

Logging in West Virginia is a hazardous occupation by almost any measure. Over the years, fatality rates, inspections, and participation in training programs have been thought to be the best indicators of safety performance. Now, we hypothesize that there may be alternative indicators such as health costs and compensation claims that may be used as outcome measures. Using training, inspection, fatality and claims data for years 2002-2012, a quantitative study was conducted to determine the most appropriate indicators for loggers' safety based on the implementation of a Local Emphasis Program (LEP) created by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Results of data analyses show that among the many outcomes anticipated to be impacted by inspections and training of loggers targeted by the OSHA LEP, medical costs and unplanned (unprogrammed) inspections (due to accidents and complaints) were most significant in predicting safety performance. This study suggests that these two outcomes may serve as stronger indicators of the program's effectiveness, compared to the current use of fatality rates and loggers' participation in training as it relates to loggers' safety.