Researchers provide valuable information on accidents incurred during logging activities.
The study examined harvesting accidents from 2000 to 2009 in the Austrian State Forest Enterprise, which is Austria’s largest forest enterprise. Some of the key information discovered was as follows:
The study examined harvesting accidents from 2000 to 2009 in the Austrian State Forest Enterprise, which is Austria’s largest forest enterprise. Some of the key information discovered was as follows:
- 1077 accidents occurred. This amounted to 54.2 accidents per one million cubic metres of timber or 77.1 accidents per million work hours. Two of the accidents were fatal.
- Most accidents occurred between 10h00 and 12h00.
- Most accidents occurred on a Monday (24.7%) and Tuesday (22%), and in March (10.8%) and February (10.6%).
- Most accidents were caused by trips, slips and falls (36.7%), and falling trees or harvesting equipment (22%).
- The most frequently injured body parts were legs (37.8%), arms and hands (26.9%) and the neck and head areas (15.2%).
- The most common kind of injuries were contusions (37.8%), bone fractures (12.8%), sprains or strains (11.6%) and punctures or lacerations (10.4%).
- The average accident required 18.2 days for recovery.