october 2007emily ramsay1 forestry in scotland. october 2007emily ramsay1 why is forestry important...

October 2007 Emily Ramsay1

Forestry in Scotland


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)


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.


Chainsaw Work


Mechanised Harvesting

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Mechanised Harvesting


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.


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.


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


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


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


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


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


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.


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.


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


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


QUESTIONS?

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october 2007emily ramsay1 forestry in scotland. october 2007emily ramsay1 why is forestry important...

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