All About Fallers
Job Description & Duties Use axes or chainsaws to fell trees using knowledge of tree characteristics and cutting techniques to control direction of fall and minimize tree damage.
A Day in the Life of a Faller
- Load logs or wood onto trucks, trailers, or railroad cars, by hand or using loaders or winches.
- Determine position, direction, and depth of cuts to be made, and placement of wedges or jacks.
- Assess logs after cutting to ensure that the quality and length are correct.
- Select trees to be cut down, assessing factors such as site, terrain, and weather conditions before beginning work.
- Tag unsafe trees with high-visibility ribbons.
- Place supporting limbs or poles under felled trees to avoid splitting undersides, and to prevent logs from rolling.
Featured schools near , edit
What a Faller Should Know
These are the skills Fallers say are the most useful in their careers:
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Timber Faller
- Grapple Crew Leader
- Cross Cut Sawyer
- Hook Tender
- Tree Feller
Job Outlook for Fallers
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 7,500 jobs in the United States for Faller. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Faller. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 800 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Faller are Kentucky, Maryland, and Oregon. Watch out if you plan on working in Georgia, Alaska, or South Carolina. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Fallers Salary
The typical yearly salary for Fallers is somewhere between $27,080 and $78,500.
Fallers who work in New York, Oregon, or Montana, make the highest salaries.
How much do Fallers make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $44,320 |
Alaska | $59,680 |
Arkansas | $55,050 |
California | $56,720 |
Colorado | $29,650 |
Georgia | $42,570 |
Idaho | $43,170 |
Indiana | $53,620 |
Louisiana | $39,320 |
Maryland | $41,480 |
Massachusetts | $45,480 |
Michigan | $36,670 |
Minnesota | $45,010 |
Mississippi | $48,700 |
Missouri | $39,910 |
Montana | $65,560 |
New Hampshire | $45,240 |
New York | $63,040 |
North Carolina | $56,500 |
Ohio | $29,130 |
Oregon | $67,560 |
Pennsylvania | $33,170 |
Tennessee | $38,020 |
Texas | $50,220 |
Vermont | $40,810 |
Virginia | $42,120 |
Washington | $66,870 |
West Virginia | $38,620 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Fallers
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Fallers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- ESRI ArcView
- BCS Woodlands Software The Logger Tracker
How to Become a Faller
Are there Fallers education requirements?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Faller?
Where do Fallers Work?
The table below shows the approximate number of Fallers employed by various industries.
Similar Careers
Those interested in being a Faller may also be interested in:
- Helpers–Extraction Workers
- Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
Request Info | Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |