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Fallers in South Carolina

Want to work as a Fallers in South Carolina? Here’s what you need to know. Use axes or chainsaws to fell trees using knowledge of tree characteristics and cutting techniques to control direction of fall and minimize tree damage.

What do Fallers Make in South Carolina?

For fallers working in South Carolina, the median annual wage is $60,050 per year (or roughly $28.87/hour).Pay can range from $33,030 at the 10th percentile to $74,320 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$33,030	$15.88
25th percentile	$49,070	$23.59
Median (50th)	$60,050	$28.87
75th percentile	$68,460	$32.91
90th percentile	$74,320	$35.73

The job concentration index in South Carolina relative to the national average — is 0.88, suggesting fewer fallers per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, fallers earn a median of $29,983 per year ($14.42/hour), exceeding the South Carolina median.

Employment Outlook

There are roughly 47,788 fallers nationwide. In South Carolina alone, about 50 people work in this role. That trails the typical state, which employs around 150 fallers.

Top States for Fallers Employment

These states have the highest employment of fallers work.

State	Number Employed
Michigan	490
Virginia	340
Georgia	320
Oregon	270
North Carolina	270
California	260
Mississippi	250
Washington	150
Tennessee	150
Arkansas	140
Pennsylvania	70
Indiana	50
Montana	50
Alabama	50
South Carolina	50
New Hampshire	40
Colorado	30

Highest-Paying States for Fallers

These states pay the most for fallers.

State	Annual Median Salary
Oregon	$84,770
Washington	$76,220
Idaho	$73,700
Arkansas	$64,170
California	$62,020
Indiana	$61,140
South Carolina	$60,050
Maryland	$58,570
Minnesota	$58,260
Alabama	$57,090

Skills

The most important fallers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Top abilities for fallers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Common tasks include:

• Stop saw engines, pull cutting bars from cuts, and run to safety as tree falls.
• Appraise trees for certain characteristics, such as twist, rot, and heavy limb growth, and gauge amount and direction of lean, to determine how to control the direction of a tree's fall with the least damage.
• Saw back-cuts, leaving sufficient sound wood to control direction of fall.
• Clear brush from work areas and escape routes, and cut saplings and other trees from direction of falls, using axes, chainsaws, or bulldozers.
• Measure felled trees and cut them into specified log lengths, using chain saws and axes.
• Assess logs after cutting to ensure that the quality and length are correct.
• Determine position, direction, and depth of cuts to be made, and placement of wedges or jacks.
• Control the direction of a tree's fall by scoring cutting lines with axes, sawing undercuts along scored lines with chainsaws, knocking slabs from cuts with single-bit axes, and driving wedges.
• Trim off the tops and limbs of trees, using chainsaws, delimbers, or axes.
• Select trees to be cut down, assessing factors such as site, terrain, and weather conditions before beginning work.
• Maintain and repair chainsaws and other equipment, cleaning, oiling, and greasing equipment, and sharpening equipment properly.
• Insert jacks or drive wedges behind saws to prevent binding of saws and to start trees falling.

Work Activities

• Performing General Physical Activities
• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Handling and Moving Objects
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
• Getting Information
• Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates

Tools & Technology

Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel

Related Careers

Related occupations to fallers include:

• Foresters
• Forest and Conservation Technicians
• Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
• Tree Trimmers and Pruners
• First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers
• Agricultural Equipment Operators

Also Known As

All-Round Logger, Arborist, Arborist Assistant, Arborist Climber, Arborist Representative, Axman, Certified Arborist, Chain Saw Operator, Climbing Arborist, Cross Cut Sawyer, Cutter Operator, Hewer, High Climber, Logger, Lumberjack.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 45-4021.00