SITE SAFETY RULES FOR HARVESTING SITES
Safety Arrangements for Harvesting Sites
The FWM (Forest Works Manager) is responsible for co-ordinating Health & Safety on a harvesting site. Health
and safety will be managed through risk assessment and the accompanying Site Safety Rules. Anyone entering
an active harvesting site (within the prohibition signs of a harvesting compartment, haulage route or loading bay)
must have the permission of the FWM and must be in possession of and understand the Site Safety Rules (or be
accompanied by such a person). For Direct Production sites in East Anglia the FWM is Andrew Whistler or if
unavailable Steve Hoblyn or Gareth Jones (Contact Tel No’s are given below). All harvesting site operators have
a responsibility to ensure that risk assessment controls and Site Safety Rules are applied.
Andrew Whistler
07785953564
District Office
01842 810271
Steve Hoblyn
07867 506883
H&M Admin (Amanda)
01842 816006
Gareth Jones
07747 756534
H&M Admin (Lisa)
01842 816012
Liaison with Mechanical Engineering Services (MES)

MES personnel will be issued with a site map and a copy of the Site Safety Rules.

MES will be responsible for ensuring that anyone involved in machine inspection or repair (including MES
personnel, machine operators, contractors and visitors) observe the Site Safety Rules and that an appropriate
risk assessment is in place for the operation being undertaken.
Visitors

Visitors must have permission from the FWM before entering an active harvesting site and must be
accompanied by a person who is familiar with the Site Safety Rules.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Safety boots, safety helmets and high visibility clothing (waistcoat / coat) must be worn when outside a vehicle
on an active harvesting site. The only exceptions to this rule are:

Following a risk assessment, mechanics and operators repairing or maintaining a machine may remove
safety helmets and high visibility clothing if restricting the operation.

Chainsaw operators are not required to wear high visibility waistcoats when they are operating their saws.
Additional PPE will be defined in the operational risk assessment.
Risk Zones

Any person working within the prohibition signs of an active harvesting site must inform other operators
working in the same work area (loading bay, harvesting compartment) of presence and location.

Do not come within two tree lengths of manual felling operations without the clear permission of the
chainsaw operator concerned (hand signals, verbal).

Do not enter machine risk zones, even if the machine appears to be stopped, without the clear permission of
the machine operator concerned (use radio, mobile, hand signals, horn, lights):

The harvester risk zone for forwarders is two tree lengths plus the length of the boom (TJ 1470 boom -10m).
To minimise the risk of chain shot injury the forwarder must not operate in the same drift as the harvester or
in the zone in line with the direction of fell (unless outside the 200m chain-shot risk zone).
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
For persons on foot the harvester risk zone is 90m unless in line with the harvester chainsaw in which
case the risk zone is 200m.

The Forwarder and Front End Loader risk zone is 20m.

Harvester operators will direct the line of the chainsaw away from machines, vehicles or persons if
within 200m.
Lone working
Lone working machine operators must arrange safety call cover - call in at the end of the shift and periodically
during the shift (min of once every 3 hours). The call in time should be pre-arranged with a responsible person
who should be familiar with the machine operators location and the action to be taken in the event of a safety call
not being received.
Chainsaw operators are required to work with on site cover at all times. Where a machine operator provides
cover, the chainsaw operator should make a visual contact or radio call to the machine operator at least once
every hour. The machine operator must seek out the chainsaw operator if contact is not made at the agreed time.
General Site Rules

Timber stacks to be maintained in a stable condition. No climbing on timber stacks.

Hung up trees / branches to be brought down immediately or hazard taped off whilst assistance is sought.

The speed limit on forest roads is 15 mph.

Timber haulage Site Safety Rules apply to haulage and loading operations.

Signage arrangements as described in the booklet ‘Managing Public Safety on Harvesting Sites’ and the
accompanying district note.
Machine Maintenance
Chainsaws and machinery operated on harvesting sites must be fit for purpose, maintained and inspected to
manufacturer’s recommendations and legal requirements.
Vehicle / Machine Recovery
All recovery situations must be reported to the Forest Works Manager immediately who will initiate procedures
for recovery ensuring that the operation is undertaken by qualified personnel and following a risk assessment.
FC staff must not involve themselves in the recovery of any lorries under any circumstances.
FISA
The minimum safety standards for forestry operations are those defined and promoted by AFAG (and their
predecessor FASTCO).
Certificates of Competence
Chainsaw operators and machine operators working on Commission land are required to have relevant
certificates of competence for the operations undertaken and be able to demonstrate undertaking of refresher
training.
RIDDOR
All injuries and dangerous occurrences must be reported to the Forest Works Manager as soon as practicable
after the event.
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