Gudrun - och sedan? : Arbetsmiljön i stormskogen 2005 - och för framtiden?

Abstract

The severe wind throw in southern Sweden in January 2005 felled 75 million m3 and drastically increased the amount of dangerous work tasks in forestry. We explore the effects of the storm on work environment, frequency of accidents, and other strains in professional forestry. Preventive countermeasures which have been or could be used are also documented. We apply a systems’ perspective where all actors involved in forestry (timber owners, contractors, employers and employees and health and safety officers) may contribute to an improved work environment. The literature on forest work in general is focused along a technological paradigm; this also applies to the issue of work in storm damaged forests. An equivalent technological focus appears in our empirical material. Drawing on organisation theory we suggest a broadening of the technological paradigm to include a human factor perspective with its base in ergonomics, socio-technical, sense-making, and organisational learning theory. Both statistics and interviews show the dangers of manual chain saw work and the need to mechanise work in storm fellings. This and other possibilities are explored. Preventive action may exist on three levels, on an organisational level, at a level to change a situation, or in a situation of adaptation. Different forms of preventive action which may be taken by different actors (forestry companies, contractors, and health and safety officers) are exemplified. Structural efforts may be the active company support for work environment, insisting on e.g., risk awareness and reporting and analysis of near-accidents. Situation changing efforts may be exemplified by time based remuneration or mechanisation. Information and brief inspections are two means within having adapted to the situation. Continued research is needed on mechanising work in storm felled forests, including costing of different harvesting systems. An in-depth documentation of the storm experience is recommended

Published in

Rapport - Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, Institutionen för skogens produkter och marknader
2006, number: 28
Publisher: SLU/Skogens produkter och marknader

SLU Authors

• Bohlin, Folke

  • Department of Forest Products, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Hultåker, Oscar

  • Department of Forest Products, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Forest Science

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/9113