Managing the risks of manual falling

Joe's Blog

Mechanised harvesting has had the biggest impact on reducing serious harm and fatalities within the forestry sector. However, we know that approximately 15% of the harvest is still felled manually because not everything can be harvested by machine. Not surprisingly, the areas that are felled manually are on the most challenging terrain, often have large piece-size, or are difficult to access other than by foot. What is alarming is that even at a significantly reduced level of the total harvest (15%), manual fallers dominate our fatality statistics. Six of the last seven fatalities were manual falling incidents.

There is an old saying; “fish where the fish are” and this could apply to what FISC/Safetree focuses on to make the biggest difference in our health and safety performance. Following an energetic discussion with our Operational Advisory Group (OAG) we have created three workstreams to make recommendations to improve the standards, expectations, training and overall management of manual fallers. The workstreams are:

Back to fundamentals

• Review the BPG, ACoP – manual tree-falling sections
• Incorporate any recent outcomes from prosecutions – e.g. Winch-assisted falling
• Include any outputs from other workstreams e.g. monitor and maintain competence, data analysis
• Consider including any innovations.

This work is being undertaken by TAG Group 1.

Management of manual tree-fallers

• Work with Muka Tangata to ensure the training requirements and qualifications are fit for purpose. Does the training reflect the BPG, ACoP requirements?
• Review the BC Certified Fallers programme – could it have application in NZ? If so, what would be the recommendations on whether to implement it in NZ - yes, or no?
• Recommendations of how competence could be maintained, and the monitoring and maintenance requirements to sustain this, including a central register.

This work is being undertaken by TAG Group 2.

Data analysis/investigation

• Review any current analysis or research of manual tree-falling
• Undertake an analysis of reported tree-falling incidents/fatalities to identify trends to support TAG Group 1
• Collate information on the BC certified faller programme to support TAG Group 2.

This work is being undertaken by FISC/Safetree.

Work has commenced on all three workstreams and I will look to update you as outputs are created from the workstreams. The data workstream has already produced an important report that you can access below in this newsletter.

 

Forestry's ACC levy drops due to improved safety

ACC has announced the forestry levy for the next three years and there is some good news! The rate paid by employers for forestry workers will fall by 13% from March 2025. This is an estimated saving of $200 per worker, or an annual saving to industry employers of $1.5 million to $1.8 million. The forestry levy covers the cost of injuries sustained at work, and as the injury and fatality rates have fallen, ACC is able to reduce the levy rate for forestry - even as levies in other industries increase. Adjusted for inflation, the ACC levy for forestry has almost halved since 2018 due to an improved health and safety record in the industry.

The proposed levy rates do drift back up in 2026 and 2027 but they remain below the current rates. That rate drift is due to an estimated smaller pool of workers paying the levy, who need to cover the costs of claims from previous years. While the levy reduction is a positive story for forestry, injury rates are still high compared with other primary industries and there is scope to bring the rates down further.    

 

Key info on forestry fatalities

An analysis of forestry fatality data over the last decade shows that manual tree-fallers are estimated to be 300 times more likely to die at work than the rest of the New Zealand workforce. Between 2013 and 2023, 51 forestry workers died on the job - 24 of them were manual fallers. The increased use of mechanisation led to a reduction in the number of fatalities each year from a peak in 2013. However, a considerable number of forestry workers still put themselves in harm’s way to harvest trees manually.

The region with the most tree-faller fatalities was the Southern North Island, with a total of 10 deaths. Across the country, 62% of manual falling fatalities occurred in forests run by corporates and 38% in smaller, woodlot operations. The purpose of the analysis is to help the forestry identify ways to make safety improvements for those who continue to harvest manually.

See the report

Printed copies available for hauler guarding BPG

We have available a limited number of printed copies of the Safe Access and Guarding Best Practice Guidelines. This recently published BPG aims to make yarders safer to work around. It addresses the lack of clarity and consistency forest managers and yarder logging contractors have on access and guarding requirements. The BPG includes visual guidance on different aspects of safe access and compliant guarding and helps promote the acceptable standard irrespective of yarder type, age, and brand. If you would like some copies of the printed guide sent to you, please email info@safetree.nz.

See a digital version of the BPG or download a copy

Worker injured after brake failure causes hauler to smash into digger

A worker suffered severe injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, after the brakes on a fully loaded log hauler failed, resulting in the hauler smashing into the cabin of a digger, seriously injuring the worker inside. A Northland logging company has been ordered to pay more than $70,000 in costs for failing to ensure equipment was maintained.  We are seeking more information about this incident, with a view to doing a Safety Alert on the lessons that can be learned from it. In the meantime, read a NZ Herald story about this incident

Getting ready for the warmer weather

With temperatures beginning to rise, now might be a good time to remind crews and teams of the need to look after themselves when working in hot weather. The key things to remember are:

Be SunSmart – remember to Slip, Slop, Slap, Wrap

• Slip on a light, breathable, long-sleeved shirt, and Slip into shade as much as possible when working and resting.
• Slop water-resistant, broad-spectrum sunscreen (at least SPF 30) onto all uncovered skin. Put it on 20 minutes before you go out, and reapply at least every two hours.
• Slap on a helmet with a visor and neck flap.
• Wear Wrap-around sunnies – make sure they fit with your PPE needs.

Drink heaps of water

• Carry a bottle of water and aim to drink at least a litre every hour when working outside in hot weather.
• Don’t drink lots of coffee/caffeinated drinks or alcohol the night before because this will dehydrate you.
• Watch your pee – ideally it’s a light yellow/pale straw colour, not dark yellow. If it’s dark, you need to drink more water.

Look out for signs of heat stress

• Mild heat stress – watch out for heavy sweating, panting, fast and weak pulse, tiredness, fainting, nausea, headache, grumpiness, wonky vision. Stop work, rest, drink water, cool down immediately.
• Severe heat stress – watch out for really hot and dry skin, rapid and strong pulse, throbbing headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, unconsciousness, diarrhoea, tingling and numbness in hands/feet.
• Call 111 if you think someone has severe heat stress – it’s a medical emergency

Download and print the Working in Hot Weather tailgate card