Logging has been an important industry for Washington State. It still drives the local economy in some counties. Where there is logging there is injury at work.

According to the Washington State Timber Harvest Reports, Lewis County and Grays Harbor County have the highest logging activity. There is also significant logging activity in Clallam County, Cowlitz County, Jefferson County, Pacific County, Pierce County, Skagit County, and Snohomish County.

In Grays Harbor County, wood products manufacturing makes up a substantial part of the local economy for towns like Aberdeen, Montesano, Hoquiam, Elma, McCleary and Oakville. Incredibly, Grays Harbor County has 1004% more wood products jobs than other typical counties in Washington. Grays Harbor wood products companies include Sierra Pacific Industries, Simpson Door Company, Willis Enterprises, Cosmo Specialty Fibers, Murphy Company, and Girard Wood Products.

Lewis County is home to Centralia, Chehalis, Winlock, Pe Ell, Morton, Onalaska, Mossyrock, Napavine, Toledo, Vader, and Packwood. While Lewis County is also home to other significant industries including agriculture and manufacturing, logging is still important to the local economy. However, Lewis County has also lead the state in logging related deaths!

In Clallam County, home to Forks, Port Angeles and Sequim, logging and shipping are vitally important to the local economy with prominent logging companies being Dilley & Soloman, John Grover Logging, Allen Logging, Pleines Logging, and Dahlgren Logging.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, logging has consistently been one of the most hazardous industries in the United States with a fatality rate if 73.7 deaths per 100,000 workers, which is 21 times higher than the overall fatality rate in the US. The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries has an entire page dedicated to dangers in the logging industry. In fact, the L&I website contains articles, investigation reports, and resources related to logging injuries and fatalities.