Exploring barriers and facilitators to well-being among logging industry workers: a mixed methods study

Log truck drivers and loggers represent a hard-to-reach population at high risk for injury and fatality. Long work hours and job demands increase the likelihood of fatigue and stress, increasing risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries. We surveyed 45 loggers and log truck drivers in April 2022 to assess injuries, health and wellbeing, job and sleep schedule, fatigue, job pressures, and job supports. We conducted nine semi-structured interviews about sources of job demand, job satisfaction, fatigue, and job pressures, as well as potential facilitators and barriers to improving workplace health and safety and reducing fatigue and job pressures. Survey respondents reported high quality of life and low stress. Interviewees highly value the independence of their work. Respondents experience high job demands including pressure to work longer hours and faster on the job. Of the 45 respondents, 94% classified their work as very or somewhat high paced. Thirty-nine percent of respondents reported work shifts 12 or more hours in length, with an average sleep duration of 6.6 (<i>SD</i> = 1.2) hours per night. Interviewees identified challenges such as mill hours, logging culture, and lack of public recognition as barriers to improving safety and reducing fatigue. Time and job pressures are accompanied by a sense of pride in the autonomous nature of the work, contributing to high job satisfaction and high reported quality of life. Solutions to improve fatigue must be developed with worker input to ensure interventions are responsive to barriers and concerns identified by loggers.