2025-12-22 – Weekly Logging News : Near miss incidents rising

Last week on the forum, members engaged in a rich variety of discussions, highlighting the dynamic nature of our industry. The community explored practical challenges such as adapting road layouts to riparian zones and calibrating machinery in wet conditions. There was also a focus on optimizing operational schedules and improving safety practices, with conversations on staggered hauling windows and a notable rise in near miss incidents. Technical topics were also prominent, with members diving into advanced diagnostics and solutions for equipment issues.


This Week’s Hot Topics

  • Planning a riparian and road layout refresher
    This thread discusses strategies for balancing environmental concerns with operational needs when planning road layouts. It’s an essential read for those dealing with sensitive ecological areas.
    Read more here

  • Harvester head calibration in wet Ponderosa
    Members are sharing tips on calibrating harvester heads in challenging wet conditions, a timely topic for those working in the Ponderosa regions.
    Read more here

  • Shifting to staggered hauling windows
    This discussion offers insights into how staggered hauling can improve efficiency and reduce congestion, a practical consideration for logistics planning.
    Read more here

  • Gantt chart meets mud season
    Explore how Gantt charts can be adapted to account for the unpredictability of mud season, ensuring better project management outcomes.
    Read more here

  • Advanced CAN-bus and hydraulic diagnostics
    For those interested in the technical side, this thread delves into sophisticated diagnostic techniques for improving machinery performance.
    Read more here

  • Vented ford vs culvert on 3% grade
    A practical discussion comparing the use of vented fords versus culverts on sloped terrain, vital for infrastructure stability.
    Read more here

  • Best courses for timber haul efficiency
    Members are exchanging recommendations for courses that can enhance timber hauling efficiency, a valuable resource for ongoing professional development.
    Read more here

  • Near misses are creeping up
    A critical thread addressing the increase in near miss incidents, prompting a discussion on safety practices and preventative measures.
    Read more here

  • Hydraulic heat issue on 2154G — what solved it
    Find out what solutions worked for resolving hydraulic overheating issues on the 2154G, a must-read for equipment maintenance teams.
    Read more here


Looking forward to another week of engaging discussions and valuable exchanges. Keep sharing your experiences and knowledge.

Last month our near-miss board lit up while calibrating the head in wet conditions and pushing trucks across a 3% grade — . > “wet conditions” — we now do a 2-minute radio callout before any machine move and post a spotter at riparian crossings, which cut the scares fast. The culvert stayed slick, so we swapped to a vented ford with 3" rock and staggered truck arrivals by 15 minutes; if you can’t change the crossing, throw down mats and cap speed to 8 km/h.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠​‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‍​​⁠‌⁠​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‍⁠‍​⁠‌⁠‌​⁠⁠‌‍⁠‍‌​⁠​‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‌​‍​​‍⁠‌‌‌​‌‌‍⁠​‌‌‌‍‌‍​⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

Rerouting for riparian buffers, we posted a spotter at creek crossings — ‘stop‑work’ on confusion; nights still tricky.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠​‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‍​​⁠‌⁠​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​⁠​‌⁠​‍‌​​‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌‍​⁠​‍‌‍‍‍​⁠​​‌‍⁠⁠‌​⁠​‌​‌‌‌⁠​​‌​‍​‌‌‌‍‌‌​⁠‌⁠​‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

@miller_jake89 We cut near-misses on nights by having every machine double‑tap the light bar and call “moving” before tracking; a cheap magnetic red strobe on the counterweight makes travel obvious to spotters. It’s not perfect in fog, so we add a 5‑second hard pause at landings.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠​‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‍​​⁠‌⁠​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​​‌​⁠​‌⁠​‌‌‌​⁠‌​‍‌‌‍‍​‌‌‌​‌​​‍​⁠​‍‌​⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‍‌⁠‍‍‌‍‍​​⁠‌‌‌⁠​​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​