October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
Forestry in Scotland
October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
Why is forestry important in Scotland?
• Total Woodland – 1341 thousand hectares• 47% of UK Total• Direct employment in forestry – 10 000 (does not
include wood processing)• 48% of UK total• Forestry supports an estimated 40 000 jobs in
Scotland + jobs in England & Wales.• Contributes approximately £557 million to the
Scottish economy (more than £1 billion when associated industries are included)
October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
What is the Forest Industry?
• Forest Management - plant trees, insect control, weed control + wildlife management - shoot deer.
• Harvest trees - fell the trees (machine + chainsaws), extract to forest roadside, transport timber to end user.
• Build & maintain roads. • Machine repair - on site, in workshop• Countryside recreation - walking, cycling, horse
riding, etc.
October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
Chainsaw Work
October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
Mechanised Harvesting
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October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
Mechanised Harvesting
October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
Forestry in Rural Scottish Communities
• Very importance to those working and living in rural areas as it brings economic activity and employment to fragile and remote rural communities.
• Contributes to increasing tourism in rural and remote areas.
• Provides opportunity for rural development as well as business diversification and development
• Potential to provide more ‘green’ jobs.
• ‘The Scottish Forestry Strategy’ – a framework for the continuing development of Scotland’s forestry industry - recently approved by ministers.
October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
Analysis of Forestry Accident Data
• Forestry has a fatal accident rate of 30.8 per 100,000 employees.
• By far the highest employee fatal accident rate of all industry sectors. It is over three times higher than the overall agriculture sector - the next highest fatal accident rate.
• Forestry also has the highest major injury accident rate of all industry sectors with 379.9 major injuries per 100,000 employees.
• The largest number of overall and fatal accidents are reported in Scotland.
• Findings clearly highlighted the high risk nature of forestry work.
October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
East and SouthEast
London Midlands North West Scotland Wales andSouth West
Yorkshire andNorth East
O
M
F
FM&O Accidents Reported in Forestry Between 1996/97-2003/04 by Region
October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
FM&O Accidents Reported in Forestry Between 1996/97-2003/04 by Employment Status
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
EMPLOYED BYOTHER
EMPLOYEE SELF EMPLOYED TRAINEE WORK EXPERIENCE
O
M
F
October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
FM&O Accidents Reported in Forestry by Agent
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
SB
CH
AIN
SA
W
ST
RU
CK
BY
SB
FR
EE
FA
LL
OB
J
HS
WE
IGH
T
HS
AW
KW
AR
D
HS
SH
AR
P
HA
ND
LIN
G/S
PR
AIN
S
FA
LL
OT
HE
R
TR
IP
TR
IP S
LIP
PE
RY
TR
IPS
/FA
LL
S
SB
FL
YIN
G O
BJE
CT
TR
IP O
BS
TR
UC
T
WI
FIX
ED
TR
IP U
NE
VE
N
O
M
F
October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
What are our main health & safety problems?
Safety• Hung up trees• Hit by trees/branches• Electricity• Machines rolling over• Slips / trips• Falls from heights• Lone working
Health• Hand Arm Vibration
Syndrome• Noise• Whole Body Vibration• Pesticides• Muscoskeletal
disorders
October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
AFAG
• Four Influence Network (IN) workshops were conducted in Scotland with various industry groups in order to identify the different influences on health and safety. throughout the forestry management chain.
• Workshops included managers and forestry workers
• Individual workshops held targeting chainsaw operators
October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
Issues raised
• Commercial Pressure– Insufficient time to follow all the safety rules because jobs won’t meet
deadlines
• On the job communication– People often don’t know where other people are during a job which
creates risks.
• Training– Many contractors of the opinion that training is poor and does not
prepare people for the job.
• Site safety coordination– Need to identify who has responsibility and how the role should be
defined.
• Communication of information– The contractual chain poses problems for communicating risk
assessments, site rules etc.
October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
Issues raised
• Forest Work Manager– Confusion as to who fills this role and/or the visibility of the person in
this role.
• Safety standards/procedures– Contractors find many to be unworkable, e.g. hung-up trees –
compliance is poor.
• Suitable workers– Becoming increasingly difficult: those who are entering the industry
from the UK are not properly trained while foreign workers present communication difficulties.
• Financial constraints– Smaller companies/contractors are working to tight margins which does
not allow adequate resource to be put to safety. This was recognised at all levels.
October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
AFAG
Key group in Forestry and Arboriculture health & safety.
Guidance accepted as good practice almost universally across the industry.
AFAG Project Groups
•address current, emerging and future issues
•Involve input from industry, Forestry Commission and HSE
•Most projects have or will deliver key aims and outputs including:
•Improved communications (new Tree work and AFAG websites)
•New Guidance produced for high risk issues
•Review and development of training and certification in Tree work
•Research into the causes of accidents in forestry to provide further evidence base for future projects/interventions
•Health issues such as Noise, HAVs and WBV
October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
AFAG
2008 -2011 Workplan under development
Potential Future Projects include:
Improving delivery of rehabilitation services in rural areas in Scotland (in Partnership with PHASS)
Lone working and emergency procedures
Preventing chainsaw accidents
Raising awareness of risks in forestry (better communication)
Improving management of occupational health in forestry
Improving Forestry Management (FWMs and Site Safety Coordinator)
Small-scale forestry machinery
October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
October 2007 Emily Ramsay1
QUESTIONS?
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