Researchers from the USDA Forest Service have investigated the protective mechanisms used to protect operators from thrown objects during tree cutting and processing.
The research was titled “Thrown Object Hazards in Forest Operations”, and was authored by Bob Rummer and John Klepac. The article was written for a presentation at the 2011 National Symposium on Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing Safety and Health; held at Idaho in June 2011 (Paper 11-05). Operators are generally well protected in mechanised forestry operations. However, forestry cutting machines still present hazards due to the high-energy cutting devices used to fell trees and process them into logs.
USA and Swedish (Skogforsk) researchers carried out research on this subject matter that has resulted in two new ISO standards for thrown objects in harvesting operations. The chainshot hazard was reduced by implementing guarding systems that divert or block broken chains. It was found that failed sawteeth are more difficult to block at the cutting attachment, and a new standard for protective cab glazing was deemed to be the most effective approach. The research article describes the research tests and the new standard development.
Logging-on found the information presented to be very valuable and will be of much interest to equipment manufacturers, researchers and machine owners alike. Please access the article for a more complete account of the research.
Source: http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/39441