Human Factors in Mechanised Forestry Work

Forestry work is produced in the cooperation between human, machine, and work organization. Today, accidents are often explained by human error although this explanation will not give guidance on how to improve worker safety. Instead, explanations should be sought in the interplay between humans, technological solutions, and/or work organization.  Knowledge on these factors and how they interrelate gives guidance on how to improve, not only safety, but also productivity and workers health. With an interdisciplinary approach, this project has its main focus on safety in mechanized forestry.

Today, mechanized forestry operations are mainly conducted by contractors. Therefore, one study is to map Swedish forestry contractors and their structural development. Furthermore, to examine today’s safety problems in mechanized forestry, machine operators employed by contractors and large-scale forestry is addressed in a mail survey. This survey will be followed up by in-depth interviews.  The aim of those surveys is to explain how, why and where accidents occur during mechanized forestry work.