1. Preventing Fatal Injuries to Tree
Workers in New York State
NY FACE

2. NYS Tree Work Fatalities
 2002: 12 18
16
 2003: 9 14
2004: 5
12

10
 2005: 8 8
6
 2006: 8 4
2
 2007: 10 0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
 2008: 17

3. What caused the spike?
 Energy crisis
 NYDEC fire wood regulation to
protect forests against non-native
insects
 Prohibit imports
 Restrict intra-state transportation

Use local source (50 miles)
 Weather

4. NY FACE Previous Efforts in
Prevention of Logging Injuries
 Two FACE reports
 One FACE fact sheet
 Dissemination of Logging Field
Guide (WV FACE) through New
York Logging Training

5. NY FACE Efforts
 Developed Logging Safety-A Field
Guide
 Partnered with New York State Office
of Parks Recreation and Historical
Preservation (NY Parks)

Pilot tested the Field Guide
 Evaluate the effectiveness/usefulness of
the Guide

6. •
Game of Logging
Developed in the 1960’s by Soren Eriksson, a
Swedish logger turned training instructor
Teaches safety, productivity, conservation and
cutting techniques
Instructor: Bill Lindloff
Train approximately 800 people annually
Employees and employers
Property/land owners
Loggers, landscapers, and forest workers
(public)

9. Pilot-testing the Field Guide through NYS Parks
 NY Parks provided its field
employees with GOL I and II
 GOL instructor used the Field Guide
as classroom training material
 NY FACE developed survey
questionnaires to assess the
usefulness/effectiveness of the Field
Guide

10. NY Parks Evaluation
 Pre: n=61 and Post n= 73
 39% reported being involved in a “near
miss” and 24% had tree work related
injuries
 Trainees gained critical injury prevention
knowledge through the training
 The Field Guide helped the trainees
understand the subject matter:
 62% Strongly Agree
 37% Agree

12. Partner with GOL
 800 trainees a year
 Disseminate the Field Guide to the
trainees
 Use the Field Guide as classroom
teaching material
 Assist in evaluation

13. To Evaluate or Not to Evaluate?
 Goals
 Reduced fatalities
 Reduced injuries

Behavioral changes *
 Knowledge changes *
 Field Guide being widely used *

14. Prevent Death and Injuries to
Workers of Ski Facilities in
New York

15. Industry Characteristics
 New York has the largest number
of ski centers (49) in the US
 Seasonal employment of 16,500
(86% of the payroll in the winter
season) in New York

16. Work Force Characteristics
 Younger

Seasonal

Part-time
 Majority non-skiers or non-boarders
 Both management and workers assume/
accept risk/ injury as part of the job
 Suspicious about government regulations

17. Typical Operations in a Ski
Resort/Area

Ski school
 Ski patrol
 Lift operation

Lift maintenance
 Snow making
 Snow grooming

Cafeteria
 Guest service

18. Occupational Hazards
 Slips and falls on icy 
Chemical exposures to
surface snowmaking additives
 Frost bite/hypothermia 
Compressed air
 Logging hazards 
Pressurized water
 Muscle strains and sprains  Electrical
 Mobile vehicles  Confined space
 Trenching  Overhead hazards

19. Fatal Cases in Ski Resorts/Areas

Two employees fell into a 20 foot cavity
over a volcanic fumarole that was covered
by snow and a third employee attempting
to rescue them died from lack of oxygen
(CA)
 A worker was engulfed by water in a snow
making pit (CO)

A worker died after being severely injured
while working on a chair lift (Alberta,
Canada)

20. Fatal Cases in New York
 In 2007, a 63 year-old employee at a ski resort
was killed after his clothing was caught by a
snowblower and pulled into the machine.

In 2008, a 44-year-old electrician accidentally
touched a high-voltage transformer and was
electrocuted at a ski area.

22. Safety Regulations for
Ski Facilities
 Chapter 296-59 WAC “Ski Area
Facilities and Operations” by
Washington State Department of Labor
and Industries :

Ski lift facilities and structures
 Ski lift operations

Ski lift aerial work platforms
 Ski lift machinery guarding

23. NY FACE Partner:
Ski Areas of New York (SANY)
 Represents 41 (86%) ski facilities
in New York
 Three are state facilities
 Provides workers’ compensation
program for some of (approx. 80%)
the SANY members

24. 1,600 ft. vertical drop
Peak employment 2,000

25. Snowmaking Department
 Snowmaking:

1,000 guns
 200-300 guns on a run (every 10 ft.)
 Two workers take care of a run
 Compressor (nine 1930 models)
maintenance
 Trail maintenance (tree work)
 Building new trails/runs (excavating
and trenching hazards)

36. Snowmaking Department Injury Data
(1998-2009)
 Injuries by age groups:
 < 30: 44%
 30-39: 22%

40-49: 24%
 50-59: 5%
 > 60: 2 %

37. Snowmaking Department Injury Data
(1998-2009)
 Injuries by Causes
 Slip and fall: 38%
 Lift/push/pull: 18%
 Hit by: 15%
 Motor vehicle: 11%
 Injuries by Objects
 Snowmaking equipment: 22%
 Icy/snowy surface: 12%
 Snowmobile: 10%

38. NY FACE-SANY Project
 Conduct site visits
 Review and analyze SANY injury data

Target specific operations/departments

Survey department managers
 Develop operation specific safety recommendations, and
hazard alert
 Develop comprehensive employee training manuals
 Develop comprehensive safety programs for high risk
departments

Evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention