California Code of Regulations
Title 8 - Industrial Relations
Division 1 - Department of Industrial Relations
Chapter 4 - Division of Industrial Safety
Subchapter 13 - Logging and Sawmill Safety Orders
Article 11 - Helicopter Yarding Operations
Section 6324 - Ground Personnel

(a) Helicopter approach and departure zones shall be designated, and no equipment or personnel shall occupy these areas during helicopter arrival or departure.

(b) A take-off path from the log pickup point shall be established, and shall be made known to all workers in that area before the first turn of logs is moved.

(c) If the take-off path is to be changed to a different direction, all workers in the log pickup area shall be made aware of the change before the first turn of logs is moved.

(d) Sufficient ground personnel shall be provided to ensure that helicopter loading and unloading operations are performed safely.

(e) Helicopters shall not move loads over any workers.

(f) Helicopters with a load on the hook shall not pass over any area in which fallers and buckers are working.

(g) Communications shall be maintained between the ground crew and flight crew to continuously update knowledge of woods crew locations and movement, so that sufficient lateral clearance of the helicopter flight pattern for safe operation shall be observed at all times.

(h) Employees shall remain in the clear as chokers are being delivered. Employees shall not move under the helicopter that is delivering the choker, or take hold of the chokers before they have been released by the helicopter, except when the lower hook malfunctions or in an emergency requiring the woods crew to release the chokers manually.

(i) If the flight path of the loaded helicopter passes over haul roads, flagmen shall be posted to direct traffic.