The use of an analytical method to evaluate safety and ergonomics in service of forest machinery

Other conference contribution, 2018

The many hazards in forestry are due to the handling of large trees and large machinery in rough terrain and remote areas. Activities such as maintenance and repair work has been pointed out as especially hazardous in the highly mechanized cut to length method. Accidents are underreported, which emphasizes the need for a systematic approach for accident prevention. A possible procedure is the use of an analytical evaluation method to identify presumptive hazardous situations and ergonomic issues before accidents can occur. Previously, these type of methods have mainly been used in safety-critical branches such as in nuclear power and health care. To test them in a forestry context a study was performed on the service of forest machinery. A framework for evaluation, called CCPE (Combined Cognitive and Physical Evaluation) was selected and adapted for the study. The evaluation was successful in systematically unveiling what could happen in hazardous situations with regard to use error and ergonomic issues.