VOLUNTEER
SAFETY
Volunteer Safety
Safety Is Our Priority
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Our volunteers work outdoors in the Wilderness with hazards associated with both the Wilderness and the Job. Our VWR and Sawyer training emphasize the importance of staying safe but it is the Volunteer's job to ensure safety. Our volunteers ensure safety by following their training, wearing their safety gear, following USFS Job Hazards Analysis (JHA) mitigation policies, watching over their fellow volunteers to make sure they are working safely, and having a willingness to say "No" if a job can't be done safely for any reason.
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Because there are so many potential hazards, each Volunteer must remain vigilant and keep safety in mind for themselves and the team at all times.
Potential Hazards
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Rock fall, avalanches, lightning, weather
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Falling and springing treesâ—‹
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Altitude sickness, dehydration, contagious diseases, insect borne diseases
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Injuries from wild or domesticated animals including Dogs
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Injuries from pack animals including Llamas and Horses
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Injuries from equipment – saws, axes, shovels, and other tools
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Injuries due to lack of experience, inattention, inability, or other by other volunteers
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Sprains, breaks, and other injuries due to personal inattentiveness
Job Hazards Analysis
A Job Hazard Analysis (JHA), also known as a Job Safety Analysis (JSA), is a method of identifying and evaluating the hazards associated with specific job tasks to minimize the risk of injury or illness. It involves breaking down a job into individual steps and then analyzing each step for potential hazards, consequences, and control measures.
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A Job Hazard Analysis may look complex at first glance but it is fairly simple. It simply looks at the risks of any job, lists them, and then provides mitigation requirements to reduce the risk of injury. For example, the Sawyer JHA identifies "Punctures, cuts, eye wounds" from "Transport of Saws". The mitigation for that includes "Saw must have an appropriate sheath covering all of the teeth...". In order to follow the JHA, you must always follow that mitigation of risk and always sheath your saw while transporting it.
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ESWA follows the JHA for VWRs and Sawyers as provided by the US Forest Service each year. If you volunteer as a VWR, Sawyer, or perform that work during any ESWA volunteer event, you must read and follow the associated JHA. For example, if you join an ESWA Llama trip and help to clear trees off the trail, you must follow the Sawyer JHA.
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The Job Hazards Analysis for Sawyers can be found here: Sawyer JHA
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The Job Hazards Analysis for VWRs can be found here: VWR JHA
ESWA Waiver
Every ESWA Volunteer must agree to the ESWA Waiver and Code of Conduct. When you sign up for any ESWA Event or Training, you are agreeing to the ESWA Waiver and Code of Conduct by checking the policy box before completing your enrollment in that Event or Training.
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By Volunteering and agreeing to the ESWA Waiver and Code of Conduct, you are agreeing that you will follow the VWR and Sawyer JHAs, that you will work safely, and that you are responsible for your safety and the safety of your team members.
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You also agree that you will not work under the influence or use drugs or alcohol while volunteering and that you will maintain civil behavior and conduct yourself appropriately while volunteering and representing ESWA.
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The ESWA Waiver and Code of Conduct can be found here: