New logging research has quantified the effect that experienced operators have on single grip harvesters.The research was titled “The human influence on productivity in harvesting operations”, and the article appeared in the International Journal of Forest Engineering, Vol. 22(2). The researchers were T Purfurst and J Erler. Twenty three different harvester operators, working in 3,351 stands in Germany over a period of three years were studied. Only data from experienced operators were used (greater than one year operating). The operators were found to have a significant influence on harvester productivity, accounting for 34% of the factors affecting productivity. Only tree size had a larger affect on productivity.
Seventeen operators had productivity levels that were significantly different from the average productivity. The best operators had nearly twice the productivity of the worst operators. Better operators are able to handle more work elements simultaneously, move the boom a shorter path, keep the boom moving nearly all the time, obtain a better and more efficient boom working angle, have better fine motor skills, always plan four to five stems ahead, and show little variation in processing time for different stems. Literature cited in the article shows that 50 to 55% of the difference in operator performance is the result of better planning and decision making. The research showed the operator needs to be considered when developing productivity models for harvesters. Source: http://journals.hil.unb.ca/index.php/IJFE/issue/view/1455