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Logging Equipment Operator

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What Does it Take to Be a Logging Equipment Operator?

Logging Equipment Operator Job Description Drive logging tractor or wheeled vehicle equipped with one or more accessories such as bulldozer blade, frontal shear, grapple, logging arch, cable winches, hoisting rack, or crane boom, to fell tree; to skid, load, unload, or stack logs; or to pull stumps or clear brush.

Daily Life Of a Logging Equipment Operator

  • Drive crawler or wheeled tractors to drag or transport logs from felling sites to log landing areas for processing and loading.
  • Calculate total board feet, cordage, or other wood measurement units, using conversion tables.
  • Control hydraulic tractors equipped with tree clamps and booms to lift, swing, and bunch sheared trees.
  • Drive tractors for the purpose of building or repairing logging and skid roads.
  • Drive and maneuver tractors and tree harvesters to shear the tops off of trees, cut and limb the trees, and cut the logs into desired lengths.
  • Fill out required job or shift report forms.

Logging Equipment Operator Needed Skills

Logging Equipment Operators state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

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.

Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Types of Logging Equipment Operator

  • Logging Shovel Operator
  • Mobile Heavy Equipment Operator
  • Skidder Operator
  • Lumber Carrier Operator
  • Log Truck Driver

Job Outlook for Logging Equipment Operators

In the United States, there were 39,100 jobs for Logging Equipment Operator in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Logging Equipment Operator. There will be an estimated 4,200 positions for Logging Equipment Operator per year.

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The states with the most job growth for Logging Equipment Operator are Oregon, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Georgia, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

How Much Does a Logging Equipment Operator Make?

The average yearly salary of a Logging Equipment Operator ranges between $25,750 and $60,320.

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Logging Equipment Operators who work in Idaho, Washington, or California, make the highest salaries.

How much do Logging Equipment Operators make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $38,520
Arizona $47,230
Arkansas $41,870
California $51,520
Colorado $39,480
Florida $38,560
Georgia $38,020
Idaho $55,520
Indiana $34,650
Kentucky $31,090
Louisiana $43,010
Maine $36,840
Maryland $42,500
Michigan $35,880
Minnesota $42,740
Mississippi $38,430
Missouri $34,080
Montana $43,260
New Hampshire $40,910
New York $40,470
North Carolina $45,090
Ohio $33,460
Oklahoma $46,560
Oregon $46,910
Pennsylvania $38,730
South Carolina $40,600
South Dakota $40,530
Tennessee $35,200
Texas $42,190
Vermont $41,250
Virginia $43,150
Washington $51,060
West Virginia $33,720
Wisconsin $37,880
Wyoming $43,730

What Tools do Logging Equipment Operators Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Logging Equipment Operators may use on a daily basis:

Becoming a Logging Equipment Operator

What education is needed to be a Logging Equipment Operator?

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How many years of work experience do I need?

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Who Employs Logging Equipment Operators?

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Below are examples of industries where Logging Equipment Operators work:

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Other Jobs You May be Interested In

Those who work as a Logging Equipment Operator sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:

References:

Image Credit: Hic85 via Public Domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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