Health Risks in Forest Work - A Program for Action. Dissertation at the Faculty of Forestry. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

1988

81 S.

3 Abb., 1 Tab., 13 Anh., 47 Lit. Ang.

Bandaufführung

2044

6628

For the trade of forestry in Sweden, a "Health Risk Program" has been developed at the Department of Operational Efficiency, at the College of Forestry. The program assumes and further develops the cooperation between the various forestry Occupational Health Service (OHS) units. A broad surveyand target studies find the early signs of health risks and open possibilities for preventive and rehabilitative actions by the OHS-units, companies, researc hers and others. The OHS-units collect the data for the joint studies. At the College, the results are processed and the studies coordinated. The analyses aremade in cooperation. A total of 6.700 forest employees have filled-out a stand ardized questionnaire. The answers have been checked and completed in an interview by the OHS-nurse. Almost 300 machine operators have participated in two target studies. Many young cutters receive low back pains after few years of work.Few young cutters with a combination of positive factors had complaints. To im prove the situation the forestry schools, the companies and the OHS-units need to (and have started to) cooperate. Against the neck/shoulder complaints offorest machine operators it has not been enough to introduce any single, genea l measure such as new machines or 3-hour shift. Few operators take micropauses during work. Trials with a whole battery of measures (new technic, more job rotation, motivation of the operator) have been started. Many supervisors have complaints related to the mental stress and hurry in their work. A coordinate registration of work injuries at 20 larger forest companies confirms the downward trend in the official accident statistics. Instead there is an increase in non-accidental injuries, especially on muscles and joints. Some key points from the program: cooperaton, early signs from the employees themselves and the use of uniform study methods can be recommended to other trades and countries as well as for the future work in improving the work environment in forestry.