Rubber Tree (Hevea brasiliensis) Biomass, Nutrient Content, and Heating Values in Southern Thailand

Article 638201

Productivity and Cost Analysis of Three Timber Extraction Methods on Steep Terrain in Thailand

Steep terrain harvesting in Thailand has low productivity because of the shortage of suitable logging extraction methods. Common methods involve extraction using manpower on steep slopes where machines cannot operate. This study compared the utilization of log chutes against manpower and mule methods with regard to productivity and cost-efficiency in the same logging compartment in Northern Thailand. The extraction methods were divided into work elements and data were collected based on described work cycles. The log chutes clearly had the highest productivity (2.29 m3/h) compared to the other methods. The hourly cost was lowest using manpower and the highest cost was using the log chute. However, the unit cost indicated the most economic method was the log chute (THB 72.40/m3) and the least was using mule extraction. From a logging contractor point of view, the log chute method helps reduce the number of working days during the harvesting season and provides a higher profit for business

An Analysis of Chainsaw Operator Safety Between Asian and European Countries

Work safety in the forestry industry, where chainsaws are used for tree felling, continues to be a top priority. The mobility of workers involved in chainsaw operations between Europe and Asia has become more common in today’s global workplace. Therefore, sharing knowledge about the types of work safety issues found in both regions can be beneficial. Increased knowledge and safety awareness in the workplace can contribute to a reduction in chainsaw accidents. This paper identifies and addresses four key related areas, namely: regulatory frameworks; chainsaw accidents; personal protective equipment and chainsaw training. Information for both regions was evaluated via interviews, questionnaires, direct observation, desk studies, field studies and descriptive statistical analysis. A total of 234 participants responded to the main research questionnaire, which resulted in data analysis of significant questions related to the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and possible causes of accidents. Key findings included a need for more information relating to the effect of regulations in individual countries and chainsaw accident and fatality statistics within Asia. A requirement for further research into the suitability of PPE used in Asia was identified. Inadequate training was seen as a primary factor causing accidents in Asia, while in Europe, it was due to chainsaw operators taking shortcuts. Inadequate workplace supervision and a lack of uniform and affordable training provision were common issues identified within both regions. Field tests carried out in accordance with the International/European chainsaw (ICC/ECC) qualification standards of the »non-profit« Awarding Body Association (ABA) International were successful in demonstrating the benefits of uniform training to participants in Europe and Asia. Overall, the study raises awareness of the fatal consequences of risk-taking behaviour to work safety, requiring a better understanding of the problem from a social psychology perspective. It identifies the self-employed or temporary worker groups as high-risk categories in both regions, with younger workers seen to be more at risk of injury in Asia and older workers more at risk in Europe. The findings demonstrate that, while there are differences between the two regions (at least within the participating countries), it is essential to provide quality education and raise skills by training and promotion of supervision in order to prevent chainsaw accidents. This can lead to the development of the building blocks of a holistic approach to safety in forestry work, which, as shown in this paper, can result in a decrease in the occurrence of accidents

Productivity and Cost Analysis of Three Timber Extraction Methods on Steep Terrain in Thailand

201

Risk Factors and Occupational Safety Failures in Forest Work in the Southeast Asian Region

Occupational safety is generally known to be low in forestry work. A similar situation may be found in Southeast Asian countries, where health and safety aspects are not commonly taken care of so rigorously. However, there is also a lack of primary data which could be suitable for evaluating such issues. The auditing reports of FCS certification are a source of useful information to evaluate and analyze health and safety concerns in forestry work. This paper addressed the coverage of available information, classified the risk factors uniformly from different certifying body criteria, compared occurrence of risk factors in groups and checked for dependencies in data. The key findings are that the main issues were those related to the organizations’ failures to protect the workers and to the lack of awareness of safety. In turn, these may explain the high incidence of forestry-related work accidents in Southeast Asia

Benchmarking operational conditions, productivity, and costs of harvesting from industrial plantations in different global regions

There has been a global increase in the demand for woody biomass in the last decade. The imperative to achieve the highest production per unit of land while preserving natural forest resources has expanded intensive forest cultivation in industrial plantations. The development of a global bioeconomy is expected to further increase the demand for biomass for material and energy use from industrial forest plantations. Efficiently planning supply from these timber sources requires up-to-date information on current harvesting systems. This study aims to provide an overview of existing systems and their performance in industrial plantations located in seven relevant global regions. Eight regional experts combined knowledge, supported by relevant literature, to create a unique database for benchmarking harvesting systems regarding their productivity and supply costs. Current mechanized systems can reach harvesting productivity exceeding 100 m3 per productive machine hour (PMH), while roadside costs range between 5 and 20 USD m−3 solid volume. Harvesting systems are modified continuously to adapt to plantations’ characteristics and industrial requirements in the different regions. Local socioeconomic factors and the historical sectorial evolution in each region significantly impact the selection of harvesting systems, mechanization levels, type of machinery, and resulting harvesting costs. Expanding plantations to more marginal lands requires further research on adapting agricultural/construction machinery to steep terrain plantations. International literature tends to represent large-scale, highly mechanized systems well. In contrast, fewer studies are available for characterizing small-scale systems, particularly in developing regions.</p