Logging Equipment Operators
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. Includes operating stand-alone logging machines, such as log chippers.
This is a specialization of
Forest & Conservation WorkersCareer Overview Video
AI Impact Assessment
AI Resilience Score
Score 2/6: low AI task exposure, declining job demand, limited human advantage indicates this career is being transformed by AI
How we calculated this:
19% of tasks can be accelerated by AI
-1% projected (2024-2034)
EPOCH score: 10/25
Key Responsibilities
- Inspect equipment for safety prior to use, and perform necessary basic maintenance tasks.
- Control hydraulic tractors equipped with tree clamps and booms to lift, swing, and bunch sheared trees.
- Grade logs according to characteristics such as knot size and straightness, and according to established industry or company standards.
- Drive straight or articulated tractors equipped with accessories such as bulldozer blades, grapples, logging arches, cable winches, and crane booms to skid, load, unload, or stack logs, pull stumps, or clear brush.
- Drive crawler or wheeled tractors to drag or transport logs from felling sites to log landing areas for processing and loading.
- Fill out required job or shift report forms.
- Drive tractors for building or repairing logging and skid roads.
Education & Training
Typical Entry Education
Less than high school
Time to Job Ready
0-0.5 years
Based on Job Zone 1. For formal education duration only, see education_duration.
Technology Skills
Key Abilities
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Find jobs and training programs for logging equipment operators- Median salary: $48K/year
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Compensation Details
Based on 23,720 employed workers
Also Known As
Data from O*NET 30.1 and BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
O*NET Code: 45-4022.00