Current Happenings

The Forestry Mutual Insurance Company has named the winners of it's annual E. K. Pittman Safety Award. The award is named in honor of the first Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Forestry Mutual and presented to those companies chosen by the president and staff of Forestry Mutual based on their safety record and continued emphasis on safety in the work place.

The awards are presented at the 2007 North Carolina Forestry Association Annual Meeting in New Bern.

Forestry Mutual once again held a chainsaw competition at the 2007 Carolina Logging Demo in Ellerbe on September 24.

* Thirteen timber-cutters from NC and VA competed for 6 slots in the finals, the tree felling. The qualifying round was hotly contested, all competitors exhibited their skills in a very professional manner.

* The qualifying events were training tools used in the woods to reduce risk and increase skill levels. Each event has a specific purpose to reduce risk, avoid injury, and increase productivity.

* Precision Bore Cut- Teaches saw control and the reactive forces of the bar and chain. The event is used to introduce the controlled-release back-cut.

* Precision Bucking- Teaches saw control. This event is used to avoid hitting foreign obstacles while in the process of bucking, such obstacles can cause injury by saw kick-back.

* Spring Pole- The event is used to release the pressure on wood in a bind. A proven risk in our industry.

* Finals--Tree felling-- Trees were felled for accuracy and stump safety. Each stump was scored for the accuracy of the notch and hingewood. The contestants were scored for their felling plan, a step by step detail on how the tree was going to be cut. "Remember, an accident is an UN-planned event!" Felling accuracy was determined by inches away from the desired target.

This years winner was Travis Green from Old Fort, N.C. He is the owner of TAG Contracting, 2nd place went to Charlie Moore of C & L Logging in Appomattox, Va. and 3rd place was Mark Carpenter from Carpenter Brothers Logging in Peachland, N.C. Rounding out the finalists were Tony Teague, Greg Brown, and Jason Gilleland.

Stihl Chainsaws provided personal protective equipment for each participant and a new 441 chainsaw for the first place contestant. Cash prizes were awarded to the second thru sixth place finishers.