Health & Safety in Harvesting

Health and Safety in forest harvesting is extremely important. Whether you are a forest owner, forester, contractor or subcontractor (operator), there are legal duties to fulfil in order to ensure that people’s safety and health is not put at risk during forest harvesting.

The law requires that during the planning and carrying out of forestry operations, a number of safety and health duties be fulfilled, including:
  • Felling of malformed and over mature trees;
  • Preparing written risk assessments
  • Selecting suitable equipment for the job
  • Protecting public safety and health
  • Setting out safe working procedures
  • Ensuring operators are competent
  • Supervising and monitoring the work
The Code sets out four management roles. These roles are:
  • The Landowner role
  • The Forestry Work Manager (FWM) role
  • The Contractor role
  • The Sub-contractor role

As the Forestry Works Manager in harvest operations, Western Forestry Co-op has the competence to discharge the duties associated with the landowner role and ensure that Health and Safety in Forest Operations is strictly adhered to.