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Contents
Page last reviewed: 08/22/2008
Highlights
  • Sawmills. OSHA eTool. An interactive web-based training tool on the hazards associated with working in sawmills. Provides information on topics such as lumber storage, log handling, and plant-wide hazards.
  • Woodworking. OSHA eTool. An interactive web-based training tool on the hazards associated with woodworking. Provides information on topics such as assembly, production, and shipping.
  • Logging. OSHA eTool. By many measures, logging is the most hazardous industry in the United States, particularly the activity of manual felling. This eTool outlines the required and recommended work practices that may reduce logging hazards.
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Wood Products Industry

The wood products industry includes some of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. The equipment poses numerous hazards, particularly when machines are used improperly or without proper safeguards. The wood products industry may be divided into the following sub-categories: Logging, Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills, Sawmills (Planing Mills), and Woodworking (wood shops, cabinet shops, prefabricated wood buildings/mobile homes).

Wood product hazards are addressed in specific standards for the general industry.

Standards

OSHA

This section highlights OSHA standards, standard interpretations (official letters of interpretation of the standards), and state standards related to the wood products industry.

Note: Twenty-five states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved State Plans and have adopted their own standards and enforcement policies. For the most part, these States adopt standards that are identical to Federal OSHA. However, some States have adopted different standards applicable to this topic or may have different enforcement policies.

Frequently Cited Standards

The following standards, in order, were the most frequently cited by Federal OSHA from October 2011 through September 2012, in Lumber and Wood Products, Except Furniture (SIC code 24).

The following standards, in order, were the most frequently cited by Federal OSHA from October 2011 through September 2012, in Furniture and Fixtures (SIC Code 25).

The following standards, in order, were the most frequently cited by Federal OSHA from October 2010 through September 2011, in Paper and Allied Products (SIC code 26).

Standard Interpretations

State

Note: These are NOT OSHA regulations. However, they do provide guidance from their originating organizations related to worker protection.

Hazard Recognition

The many operations involved in the wood products industry cause a variety of hazards. The following tables contain data from the US Department of Labor (DOL), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) characterizing injuries and illnesses for selected SIC codes from the wood products industry. Visit the BLS Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities page for additional information.

  • Case and Demographic Characteristics for Work-related Injuries and Illnesses Involving Days Away From Work. NOTE: Statistics for this industry are contained in the following tables. You must complete a word search or scroll in order to locate that specific information.
    • Table R1. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by industry and selected natures of injury or illness, private industry, 2010.
    • Table R2. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by industry and selected parts of body affected by injury or illness, private industry, 2010.
    • Table R3. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by industry and selected sources of injury or illness, private industry, 2010.
    • Table R4. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by industry and selected events or exposures leading to injury or illness, private industry, 2010.
    • Table R5. Incidence rates for nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers by industry and selected natures of injury or illness, private industry, 2010.
    • Table R6. Incidence rates for nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers by industry and selected parts of body affected by injury or illness, private industry, 2010.
    • Table R7. Incidence rates for nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers by industry and selected sources of injury or illness, private industry, 2010.
    • Table R8. Incidence rates for nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers by industry and selected events or exposures leading to injury or illness, private industry, 2010.

  • For additional information on general safety and health concerns, see OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Pages on:

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