Pruning and Thinning Crew Worker

Timber keeps rural towns working, and a forestry contractor near Durban Central is hiring crews. You don't need to be the loudest person in the room, just the one others can count on.

You'll report in Durban Central. Relocation is not covered for this one.

• Plant seedlings in prepared pits at the right spacing
• Feed logs into sawmill machines and stack planks
• Wear chainsaw chaps, helmets and ear protection at all times
• Stack logs by length for loading onto trucks
• Prune lower branches with pruning saws and ladders
• Fell, debranch and cross-cut trees with a chainsaw
• Fight veld fires with beaters and water packs under a crew leader

• Follows safety rules strictly around machines and fires
• Able to work in a crew and follow the crew leader
• Physically strong and fit for steep slopes
• Available for early starts and fire-season standby

• Chainsaw operator certificate
• Fire fighting training

• Chainsaw and fire training at no cost
• Full safety gear provided
• Fire-season standby allowance

• Mention fire fighting experience, even as a volunteer. Fire protection crews look for it before winter.
• Say you are fit and do not mind remote sites. Many applicants drop out after the first week, so recruiters test commitment.