Citation

Vayrynen S. J. Occup. Accid. 1982; 4(2-4): 175-175.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1982, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Heavy forest machinery includes those machines used in logging operations -- forwarders, processors, harvesters and agricultural tractors equipped for forest work. Accidents which occurred in the maintenance (i.e. the servicing and repairing) of forest machinery were studied on the basis of accident reports, observations and literature. The machinery is maintained by the operators mainly in the forest. 10-15 % of the working hours of forwarder operators is spent maintaining their machinery. The respective proportion for processor and harvester operators is 25-35 %. The greater the number of work operations a machine can do, the more frequent is the need for maintenance, and the more difficult the maintenance tasks. 30 % of the analyzed accidents involving forest machinery (N = 372) occurred during maintenance; the respective proportions were: over 60 % for forwarders, processors and harvesters, and 10 % for agricultural tractors equipped for forest work. The greater the degree of mechanization of the machinery, the higher the percentage of accidents which occur in maintenance work. Dislocations (35 %) and contusions (30 %) were the most common injuries resulting from accidents during maintenance work. The parts of the body most often injured were: the fingers only (25 %); the back (20 %); the lower limbs between hips and ankles (20 %). The injured person often slipped when walking on the machine; force e.g. for lifting was often another factor. The accident rate of maintenance work was high -- nearly as high as in logging work with power saws. The nature of maintenance work, similar to handicrafts, involves climbing up to and working on top of machines (45 % of the time). The prevention of accidents related to maintenance work is a difficult but essential question, as accidents constitute a major problem in mechanized forest work. The improved working conditions in cabins have not made maintenance work safe.