The University of Washington is currently conducting a research project examining noise and vibration exposures in logging-related occupations. Initial data collection in Washington was completed in spring 1999; a manuscript describing this initial data is available here. The second round of data collection is ongoing, and includes forestry companies in Alaska, Idaho, and Washington, and several control groups in Washington. A report describing the vibration and noise exposures is available here.

The field research on this project is being executed by UW research scientist Rick Neitzel, and the project's principal investigator is Dr. Michael Yost. A manuscript describing the intial data has been accepted by the American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal, and will appear in Sept-Oct 2002.

This project was funded by NIOSH through the Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center at the University of Washington Department of Environmental Health.

Want to learn more about forestry occupations? Look at the US BLS web page on Forestry and Logging Occupations.