This Action Plan sets out specific actions to reduce the toll of work-related injury and fatality ('the work toll') in the forestry sector. It has a particular focus on health and safety systems and processes for the tasks of tree felling and breaking out. It has been prepared by the Department of Labour in partnership with the Accident Compensation Corporation and the New Zealand Forest Owners Association’s Health, Safety and Training Committee. It is closely aligned to the Forest Owners Association Strategic Safety Plan and provides a purposeful rallying point for government agencies and the forestry sector.

Action Plan Summary brochure

The projects identified by the Simplification Project group have been grouped by theme and are summarised in this document.

Over the past decade forestry has made significant progress in reducing accidents resulting in serious injury. More recently progress has slowed. The challenge now is to reinvigorate injury prevention and continue the drive towards Zero Serious Harm.

The FOA Strategic Safety Plan (SSP) has been developed to take up this challenge. In early 2007 the Education, Training & Safety Committee identified a handful of aspects that were, in its view, holding back safety improvement. With the assistance of a facilitator and ‘Theory of Constraints’ process, a committee sub-group set out to test the validity of the Committee’s assumptions, crystallize its own improvement thoughts and work out how to make the transition from the safety state and outcomes we have today to what was seen as a desirable future state. At the conclusion of this process the group found itself with a far clearer understanding of the persistent issues, conflicts and compromises that are made at worksites on a daily basis, many of which are detrimental to both safety and productivity.

Improvement opportunities identified during this process have been reviewed, prioritised and drafted into the plan under two key safety improvement themes; Safety Culture & Leadership and Safety Simplification. Under each theme three project areas, eight sub-projects and a number of objectives have been identified. These are portrayed in the Strategy map (figure 8). The Safety Committee recommends that these projects be the focus of the FOA’s near term strategic safety improvement efforts. Benefits of improving performance in these areas will include reduced harm, reduced costs and increased productivity and profitability.This plan covers the period 2009 - 2011.

Three strategic projects are recommended as a focus for safety improvement during this period. The NZ Forest Owners’ Association (FOA) Strategic Safety Plan (SSP) has been developed to takeup this challenge. In early 2007 the Education, Training & Safety Committee identified a handful of aspects that were, in its view, holding back safety improvement. With the assistance of a facilitator and ‘Theory of Constraints’ process, a committee sub-group set out to test the validity of the Committee’s assumptions, crystallize its own improvement thoughts andwork out how to make the transition from the safety state and outcomes we have today to whatwas seen as a desirable future state. At the conclusion of this process the group found itself with a far clearer understanding of the persistent issues, conflicts and compromises that are made at worksites on a daily basis, many of which are detrimental to both safety and productivity.Improvement opportunities identified during this process have been reviewed, prioritised and drafted into the plan under two key safety improvement themes; Safety Culture & Leadership and Safety Simplification. Under each theme three project areas, eight sub-projects and a number of objectives have been identified. These are portrayed in the Strategy map (figure 8). The Safety Committee recommends that these projects be the focus of the FOA’s near term strategic safety improvement efforts. Benefits of improving performance in these areas will include reduced harm, reduced costs and increased productivity and profitability.

This plan covers the period 2009 - 2011.Three strategic projects are recommended as a focus for safety improvement during this period.

This paper is based on material kindly supplied by Sue Nolan, Susan Nolan & Associates, Workplace Drug & Alcohol Policy Advisors and Educators

The purpose of this update is to advise forest owners / managers on regulation changes and their impact on quarrying activity within forestry blocks. The revised requirements have come about as a result of the post-Pike River review of H&S aspects of mining and quarrying.

This Best Practice Guideline is for use as a guide to breaking out in plantation forest harvesting operations. It was designed by representatives of the wider forestry industry to improve worker safety and performance. It combines industry training standards, Approved Code of Practice rules, hazard management and best practice information to provide a reference manual for people involved in forest harvesting operations

This Best Practice Guideline is for use as a guide to tree felling in plantation forest harvesting operations. It was designed by representatives of the wider forestry industry to improve worker safety and performance. It combines industry training standards, Approved Code of Practice rules, hazard management and best practice information to provide a reference manual for people involved in tree felling in forest harvesting operations.