Fallers
SOC Code: 45-4021
Fallers carries a 27% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $53,900 and -7.3% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 5,600 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
AI Exposure vs Industry Growth
Total occupations tracked
832
Covering all SOC major groups
Data currency
2024
BLS Employment Projections
AI exposure avg
40%
Fleet-wide median across all roles
Composite score weighing O*NET task data completeness, BLS projection methodology, and cross-validation with employer risk grades.
Employment Projections
Occupation Insight
Fallers (SOC 45-4021) carries an AI exposure score of 27%, placing it in the Medium automation-risk tier. This score is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each task an occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The economic context matters alongside the risk score. BLS counted approximately 5,600 workers in this occupation in 2024, and projects a -7.3% change through 2034 — a decline that often compounds with high AI exposure to create displacement headwinds. Median annual compensation stands at $53,900, reflecting both skill scarcity and the value employers place on the tasks that remain difficult to automate. Entry typically requires High school diploma or equivalent, plus None of related experience.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Fallers. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure. Pair the AI exposure score with the BLS employment projection and wage percentiles above for a complete career assessment.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Stop saw engines, pull cutting bars from cuts, and run to safety as tree falls.
- 2. 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.
- 3. Saw back-cuts, leaving sufficient sound wood to control direction of fall.
- 4. Clear brush from work areas and escape routes, and cut saplings and other trees from direction of falls, using axes, chainsaws, or bulldozers.
- 5. Measure felled trees and cut them into specified log lengths, using chain saws and axes.
- 6. Assess logs after cutting to ensure that the quality and length are correct.
- 7. Determine position, direction, and depth of cuts to be made, and placement of wedges or jacks.
- 8. 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.
- 9. Trim off the tops and limbs of trees, using chainsaws, delimbers, or axes.
- 10. Select trees to be cut down, assessing factors such as site, terrain, and weather conditions before beginning work.
Key Skills Required
- Operation and Control
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Operations Monitoring
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Active Listening
- Equipment Maintenance
- Troubleshooting
- Repairing
- Speaking
Knowledge Areas
- Mechanical
- Production and Processing
- Administration and Management
- Public Safety and Security
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mathematics
- Economics and Accounting
- Law and Government
- Engineering and Technology
- Education and Training
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Fallers?
Fallers has an AI exposure score of 27%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Fallers?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Fallers is projected to decline by 7.3% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 5,600 workers.
What skills are needed for Fallers?
Key skills for Fallers include Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do Fallers earn?
The median annual wage for Fallers is $53,900, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Fallers?
The typical entry-level education for Fallers is High school diploma or equivalent. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Moderate-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Fallers?
Fallers roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Related Occupations
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Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).