Timber fellers employ chain saws or other mechanical devices mounted on logging vehicles to fell trees. Trees so felled may either be delimbed at the site or subsequently at roadside landings.
Buckers cut trees into merchantable lengths, with either chain saw or heavier machinery such as slashers, harvesters, and processors. These operations may also be conducted either at the felling site or at roadside. In either case the product is piled or otherwise accumulated to facilitate subsequent transportation.
Skidders or forwarders either drag logs or trees to roadside landings, or load and transport logs or shortwood (fuelwood or pulpwood) to similar destinations.
Timber harvesters and processors combine two or more of the operations described above.
Mechanical debarking and/or chipping may also be coordinated with skidding or forwarding operations.
Chips are usually blown into semitrailer vans for delivery to mills for remanufacture or to furnaces for fuel.
Due to the nature of the work and certain customs in the field, the following factors are neutral: lack of fixed hours of work, payment on a piecework basis, ownership of small tools, and requirements that the product of the work be within overall specifications.
A feller, bucker, skidder, or processor is an independent contractor if all of the following criteria are substantially met.
A feller, bucker, skidder, or processor is an employee if all of the following criteria are substantially met.
Minn. R. Part 5224.0270
Statutory Authority: MS s 176.041; 176.83