The Impact of COVID-19 on Northeast and Appalachian Loggers

ABSTRACT

Objective: The Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety conducted a survey in December 2020 to understand the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the Androscoggin Mill explosion among loggers in six states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Methods: Logger mailing addresses were aggregated with the assistance of state logging organizations. A paper survey, including a self-addressed return envelope was mailed to the loggers in December 2020.

Results: The mailed survey had a response rate of 13.3% and captured data on 484 loggers. The majority knew someone (including themselves) who tested positive for COVID-19 (71.9%). Less than half (43%) received employer training about COVID-19 prevention measures, though 73% received some form of COVID-19 personal protective equipment from their employers. The health department, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and health care providers were the most trusted sources of health information. Nearly half acknowledged significant change in their home lives and work responsibilities due to the pandemic. The explosion of the Androscoggin Mill affected the business of 80% of Maine loggers, and 18% of loggers that resided outside Maine.

Conclusion: The lessons learned can be used to enhance trust in public health institutions and future public health response to this unique occupational group.

KEYWORDS:

• Loggers
• maine
• COVID-19
• health
• safety

Acknowledgments

The Northeast Center thanks the loggers who answered the survey, and the following industry partners, which provided mailing lists and/or advice: New Hampshire Timberland Owners Association, New York Logger Training, Pennsylvania Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Vermont Logger Education to Advance Professionalism, West Virginia University, Northeast Loggers Association, and the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine.

Within the Northeast Center and Bassett Healthcare Network, the following staff members provided essential support in making this report possible: Rosemary Brodersen, Barbara Bayes, Maryellen Driscoll, Jose Flores, Katherine Franck, Megan Goodspeed, Nicole Krupa, Amanda Roberts, Julie Sorensen, Tristan VanValkenburg, and the Bassett Printshop and Mailroom staff.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Authors’ contributions

Dr. Scott, Dr. Sorensen, and Ms. Hirabayashi were involved in the conception and design of this research. Ms. Hirabayashi, Dr. Scott and Ms. Graham were responsible for the survey creation, distribution and data acquisition. Dr. Scott, Ms. Hirabayashi, and Ms. Graham completed these analyses. Ms. Hirabayashi and Dr. Scott authored the majority of the manuscript, assisted by Ms. Graham and Dr. Hansen Ruiz. The entire team reviewed the final manuscript and made edits.

Institution and Ethics approval and informed consent

All protocols were approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital (Bassett Medical Center).

Notes

I. The survey tool is available by contacting the authors.

II. Data on household size and composition were not gathered for the Maine loggers (n = 154).

III. The Northeast Center received returned mail with no forwarding address as late as May 2021, six months after it was mailed.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health under Grant 2U54OH007542.