Will “Grapple Operator” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

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.

Job Details

• The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 45-4022.00
• The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 38,880.00
• The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 18.00
• Currently, there are 27,250 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Logging Equipment Operators”.

Also Known As…

• Logging Equipment Operators
• Skidder Operator
• Skidder Driver
• Logging Shovel Operator
• Logging Equipment Operator
• Log Processor Operator
• Loader Operator
• Grapple Skidder Operator
• Feller Buncher Operator
• Delimber Operator
• Cutter Operator
• Yarder Operator
• Truck Driver
• Tree-Shear Operator
• Tree Shear Operator
• Tree Feller Operator
• Tree Cutter Loader Operator
• Tractor Driver
• Timber Harvester Operator
• Stroke Delimber Operator
• Slasher Operator
• Shovel Logger
• Shift Stacker
• Processor Operator
• Mobile Heavy Equipment Operator
• Machine Operator
• Lumber Stacker Operator
• Lumber Stacker Driver
• Lumber Carrier Operator
• Logging Tractor Operator
• Logging Crane Operator
• Logger
• Log Truck Driver
• Log Stacker Operator
• Log Loader
• Log Hauler
• Log Handling Equipment Operator
• Log Carrier Operator
• Hook Tender
• Harvester Operator
• Forder Operator
• Feller Operator
• Chipper Operator
• Chain Saw Operator
• Chain Hooker
• Buncher Operator
• Boom Operator

Tasks for “Grapple Operator”

• Grade logs according to characteristics such as knot size and straightness, and according to established industry or company standards.
• Inspect equipment for safety prior to use, and perform necessary basic maintenance tasks.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Fill out required job or shift report forms.
• Calculate total board feet, cordage, or other wood measurement units, using conversion tables.

Related Technology & Tools

• Heavy duty chainsaws
• Log transport trucks
• Pocket knives
• Scarifier attachments
• Forwarders
• Wheeled harvesters
• Harvesting heads
• Digital tire pressure gauges
• Log forks
• Log trailers
• Delimbers
• Mobile radios
• Grapple skidders
• Log loaders
• Forestry hoes
• Tree saws
• Yarding grapples
• Desktop computers
• Cable skidders
• Knuckleboom loaders
• Tractor cranes
• Felling heads
• Loggers' tapes
• Equipment trailers
• Processing heads
• Tablet computers
• Tracked feller bunchers
• Log stackers
• Truck mounted boom loaders
• Forestry swing machines
• Loading grapples
• Protective safety glasses
• Nailing hammers
• Forestry crawler dozers
• Drive-to-tree feller bunchers
• Log winches
• Grapple yarders
• Tracked harvesters

• TradeTec TallyWorks TimeTracker
• TradeTec TallyWorks Logs
• BCS Woodlands Systems The Logger Tracker