Lumber Production Worker
A Lumber Production Worker is primarily involved in the processing and manufacturing of lumber and wood products. This role encompasses a variety of tasks including sorting and categorizing lumber based on size and grade, operating heavy machinery, and maintaining safety protocols in sawmills and lumber production facilities. Workers may also participate in logging activities, selecting trees for harvesting and transporting logs to processing sites. The job can be physically demanding and carries inherent risks, requiring strict adherence to safety measures to mitigate hazards associated with machinery and wood dust.
Typically, entry-level positions in this field require a high school diploma, and workers receive moderate-term on-the-job training, often without prior related experience. The average annual earnings for lumber production workers are around $48,910, reflecting the specialized skills and physical challenges of the role. Despite the potential for extra hours and above-average wages, the occupation has seen a recent decline of about 5% in employment opportunities. Overall, lumber production workers play a crucial role in the forestry and manufacturing sectors, contributing significantly to the supply of wood products used across various industries.
Lumber Production Worker
Snapshot
Career Cluster(s): Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
Interests: Working with your hands, using heavy machinery, travel, performing dangerous work
Earnings (Yearly Median): $48,910 per year $23.40 per hour
Employment & Outlook: -5% (Decline)
Entry-Level Education High school diploma or equivalent
Related Work Experience None
On-the-job-Training Moderate-term on-the-job training
Overview
Sphere of Work. Lumber production workers sort and arrange lumber according to size, grade, and other categories within a timber facility. Some work at logging sites selecting trees for harvesting. They also work in sawmills, plywood mills, and other lumber production facilities, where they maintain cutting machines, assist in the construction of finished products, and fulfill the customer's manufacturing needs. Production workers cut timber according to specifications using various machines, power tools, and hand tools. Lumber production workers ensure the facility adheres to standard operating procedures, including filling out inventory sheets, properly labeling lumber, and following mandated storage and handling practices. Some lumber production workers supervise other facility staff, purchase supplies, and procure lumber shipments. In 2024, total softwood lumber production in the United States and Canada declined by roughly 5 percent.
Work Environment. In addition to working at logging sites, lumber production workers are employed at various wood production centers. Some work at "primary" sawmills located in or near forest resources, usually in rural areas―these sites are the first stop for harvested lumber. At primary mills, workers may be surrounded by heavy trucks and machinery and massive logs being delivered, stored, and processed. Other production workers work in "secondary" mills, where furniture, doors, and other wood objects are manufactured. Lumber production workers are also found at mills that produce reconstituted products, such as particleboard and similar, low-quality wood products, assembled using shavings, dust, and chips discarded from primary mills. Still, other lumber production workers are employed by paper and pulp mills, which use waste products from primary mills to produce paper, cardboard, and other materials. Production workers must follow strict safety protocols in each of these settings, often requiring masks, goggles, and gloves. There remains a physical risk of dust inhalation, machine-related accidents, and other injuries.
Occupation Interest. Lumber production workers rarely experience a routine day. Depending on work location, production workers may be assigned several tasks at once, which can alleviate tedium in a manufacturing environment. Additionally, lumber production workers use saws and cutters, cranes, and other heavy machinery, which adds to a level of excitement at the workplace. Because the work is demanding, requires a significant amount of travel, and can be dangerous, lumber production workers receive an above-average hourly wage and many opportunities to work extra hours. Lumber production workers spend most of each day working with their hands.
A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities. Lumber production workers’ daily duties and responsibilities vary primarily based on the facilities at which they work, but all involve physically demanding and potentially dangerous work. Workers at primary sawmills, for example, must inventory incoming logs according to tree species, client batches, grade markings, and size. Pulp mill production workers, on the other hand, may focus more on operating heavy machinery that dissolves wood pieces into pulp and re-forms it into paper and other products. Those who visit logging sites select trees for clearing and work with loggers to cut down and transport logs to primary mills.
Lumber production workers generally sort incoming wood according to its grade and species, size, and other categories. They pay strict attention to customer orders to ensure the client’s needs are met in storage and processing. Using forklifts and machinery, lumber production workers transport wood to cutters, pulp processing machines, and other facility areas. They also operate saws, heavy cutters, pulping equipment, and smaller tools. Lumber production workers also have a few administrative tasks, such as issuing special orders for coworkers on customer needs, monitoring machine maintenance schedules, and periodically filling out order and inventory sheets. Some lumber production workers are supervisors and, as such, must oversee the activities of lower-level workers in addition to their tasks.
Buckers (454.684-010). Buckers trim branches and tops off trees and cut the logs into specified lengths.
Rivers (454.684-022). Rivers split logs to form posts, pickets, shakes, and other objects.
Tree Cutters (454.684-026). Tree cutters fell trees of specified size and species, trim limbs from trees, and cut trees into lengths for firewood, fence posts, or pulpwood using axes, measuring tools, and chainsaws.
Chainsaw Operators (454.687-010). Chainsaw operators trim limbs, tops, and roots from trees and saw logs to predetermined lengths using chainsaws.
Log Markers (454.687-018). Log markers determine the points at which logs will be sawed into sections.
Log Graders (455.367-010). Log graders inspect logs for defects, determine quality and volume, and estimate the market value of logs.
Logging Supervisors (459.133-010). Logging supervisors manage one or more crews, usually consisting of four or fewer workers.
Cruisers (459.387-010). Cruisers hike through forests to assess logging conditions and estimate the volume of marketable timber.
Work Environment
Immediate Physical Environment. Lumber production workers generally work in sawmills, other mills, and wood processing facilities. Primary mills may be located in rural locations near forests, while secondary production sites are found in various environments. Although safety guidelines are strictly enforced, there are risks of physical injury at such sites. Workers live in temporary housing at the job site or commute long distances. Both situations may be stressful for those who must spend days or weeks away from their families.
Human Environment. Depending on the facility type, lumber production workers interact with mill managers, customers, government officials (including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration), union representatives, truck drivers, and loggers.
Technological Environment. Lumber production workers use a wide range of heavy and light equipment. Among these pieces of technology are chippers, digesters (which mix chemicals and wood to cook and form into pulp), fourdriniers (massive automated paper processors), lathes, sanders, hand tools, and many different types of cutters and saws. Many lumber production workers also operate forklifts, cranes, and similar transport equipment.
Education, Training, and Advancement
High School/Secondary. High school students should study agriculture and forestry. They must also have a strong knowledge of woodworking tools through industrial arts courses. Applied mathematics helps in taking inventory and producing properly configured lumber products for customers.
Postsecondary. Some lumber production workers pursue additional training in heavy machinery and/or forestry through vocational or technical postsecondary schools. Such training can give a worker a competitive edge in the job market.
Related Occupations
− Freight, Stock and Material Mover
Bibliography
"Data for Occupations Not Covered In Detail." Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, 6 Sept. 2023, www.bls.gov/ooh/about/data-for-occupations-not-covered-in-detail.htm. Accessed 23 Aug. 2024.
"Logging Workers." Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, 6 Sept. 2023, www.bls.gov/ooh/farming-fishing-and-forestry/logging-workers.htm. Accessed 23 Aug. 2024.
"North American Softwood Lumber Production Down 5% as Demand Drops." ResourceWise, 10 Jan. 2024, www.resourcewise.com/forest-products-blog/north-american-softwood-lumber-production-down-5-as-demand-drops. Accessed 23 Aug. 2024.