Skogforsk shows how method training can affect harvester and forwarder productivity and fuel consumption.

A very experienced harvester and forwarder team operating in clearfelling were monitored for four months with no additional training. Productivity and fuel consumption was monitored throughout. Two harvester operators and two forwarder operators then went on a two day short course on efficient logging techniques. This consisted of one day of theory and one day of individual practical methods training. Methods training teaches operators how to eliminate unnecessary joystick movement and allow the maximum amount of time to be spent doing productive work. After this training, the operators were again monitored for a period of four months.

The training boosted the forwarder operator productivity by 7 % and reduced fuel consumption by nearly the same amount. However, productivity of the harvester only increased by 1 %. The operators do need to have regular coaching to prevent them from slipping back into their old habits.

Please access the Skogforsk website for a more detailed and accurate account of the research. The researcher was Ake Thorsen. The article appeared in Shortcuts and Resultat No 1, 2010. Source: http://www.skogforsk.se