We have some basic figures here from the British Columbia Workers’ Compensation Board that shows silviculture work is more dangerous that most people realize. In fact, treeplanters, stand tenders and chemical brushers have some of the highest injury rates in the province. Sure, these stats are only for B.C. but working in the bush in this type of work is pretty much the same wherever you go.
Well, here they are:
- Treeplanting: 18 injuries per 100
- Chemical Brushing: 23 injuries per 100
- Spacing: 31 injuries per 100
For the sake of comparison, here are the injury rates for logging, and the much more dangerous hand falling.
- Logging: 6.2 injuries per 100
- Hand Falling: 9 injuries per 100
Yikes! Silviculture work is really hazardous. Sure, fatalities in the silviculture industry are rare but the frequency of other accidents and injuries causing bodily harm certainly are not.