The present condition of forest roads as a result of their past maintenance

Gozdne ceste so namenjene zlasti gospodarjenju z gozdom, in prav temu je prilagojeno načrtovanje njihove rabe in vzdrževanja. Naraščanje pomena negozdarskih rab gozdnih cest vodi k višanju standarda vzdrževanja in posledično k trajnemu pomanjkanju sredstev. Višji stroški vzdrževanja nastajajo tudi zaradi pretekle graditve gozdnih cest, ki je na račun hitrega odpiranja kmetij in zaselkov zanemarjala kakovost graditve. V strukturi stroškov vzdrževalnih del zato redno nastopajo stroški ukrepov, ki predstavljajo dokončanje graditve. Rezultat pretekle gradnje, rabe in vzdrževanja je sedanje stanje gozdnih cest, ki je bilo ugotovljeno s popisom poškodb na vzorčnih hektometrskih odsekih. Poleg poškodb spodnjega in zgornjega ustroja ceste zbuja pozornost nizka stopnja dograjenosti sistema odvodnjavanja.Forest roads are built for forest management purposes, to which planning of their use and maintenance is adapted. The increasing importance of non-forestry use of forest roads leads to higher maintenance standard, which by formed maintenance system causes permanent shortage of funds. Higher maintenance costs occur due to the past forest roads construction characteristics, which gave priority to quick opening of villages and farms, on the account of building quality. Other funds expenditure represented by works for the finishing of road constructions occur permanently. Present forest roads condition is a result of the past road construction, road use andmaintenance. We investigated forest road conditions with inventories of damages in sample hectometre sectors. Critical apart from the upper road layerand road bed layer damages is the low level of perfection of the roads\u27 drainage system

Pravne podlage, standardi in kriteriji za ocenjevanje toplotnih razmer pri delu v gozdu

In this discourse, the Slovene legal basis for thermal conditions at work, together with three international standards for studying thermal conditions SIST EN ISO 7730 (Thermal comfort), SIST EN 27243 (hot environments) and SIST EN ISO 11079 (cold environments), are presented. All three international standards list the criteria for evaluation of thermal conditions and represent the scientific research basis for studying work in practice. For efficient work safety, knowledge of the national legislation is implicit.V članku so predstavljene pravne podlage za urejanje toplotnih razmer na delovnem mestu v slovenski zakonodaji ter trije mednarodni standardi za preučevanje toplotnih razmer SIST EN ISO 7730 (toplotno udobje), SIST EN 27243 (vroča okolja) in SIST EN ISO 11079 (hladna okolja). Vsi trije mednarodni standardi podajajo kriterije za ocenjevanje toplotnih razmer in so osnova za znanstveno preučevanje in delo v praksi. Za učinkovito varstvo pri delu je nujno potrebno tudi poznavanje nacionalne zakonodaje

Forest Opening in Multipurpose Private Forest - Case Study

In the past, forest opening with forest roads was planned on the basis of forest wood production. By discovering the importance of other forest roles, gradual integration of individual role into planning processes of forest opening started. The modern approach to the planning of forest opening of multipurpose forests requires a simultaneous consideration of all forest roles. Economic justification for enlarging the existing forest road network is based on the density of forest roads, where the smallest total skidding and transportation costs occur. On this basis, insufficiently opened areas outside the band width of 574 m opened by each road are excluded. Further planning of opening insufficiently opened areas is based on terrain features and technical characteristics of th planned forest roads. The construction of an individually planned forest road is economically feasible when the reduction of wood skidding costs is bigger than the increase of transportation costs. The evaluation of the planned forest road in terms of the multipurpose forest role is done with the suitability map for forest road construction. It is based on the relative importance of each forest role, determined by a multicriteria decision-making method. Selection of the planned forest roads based on the multipurpose forest role represents the quality of the new approach to the planning of forest opening

Forestry Ergonomics and Occupational Safety in High Ranking Scientific Journals from 2005–2016

The occupational safety and health change through time due to technological and social development. It is an obligation of scientific research to impartially and critically examine these changes and propose measures to reduce negative impacts on people. Since the forestry as an industry sector follows general changes, we tried to establish the situation in the field of occupational safety and health in forestry by reviewing the studies in the period 2005–2016. The review included studies, the results of which have been published particularly in scientific journals relating to the field of forestry and ergonomics with an impact factor. The findings show that the number of published articles in the field of occupational safety and health and ergonomics increases. Studies were mostly limited to only three continents, namely Europe and North and South America, and 26 countries in total. The majority of research was conducted in Canada, Brazil and Sweden. The largest number of research relates to traditional technologies of harvesting (chainsaw and skidder), whereas the Nordic states prevail in terms of modern, mechanized technologies. The study shows that international and intercontinental cooperation of researchers must be further stimulated in the field of research and education. It has been identified that there is a lack of studies addressing the issue of biomass production, forest road and skid trail construction, and some new technologies. There is a deficiency of cognitive studies, studies of workers’ burnout and comprehensive studies of ergonomics and productivity in the field of ergonomics. The uniform statistics of recording accidents will provide the research to be conducted in all forestry operations and enable the preparation of efficient preventive measures

Operator Exposure to Noise and Whole-Body Vibration in a Fully Mechanised CTL Forest Harvesting System in Karst Terrain

In recent decades fully mechanised cut-to-length forest harvesting systems have spread from flat and gentle to steep and rough terrain. To analyse the potential adverse impact of these changes on operator health, an observational study of exposure to noise and whole-body vibration (WBV) was carried out in karst terrain. The results showed that, in contrast to exposure to noise, the exposure of harvester and forwarder operators to WBV exceeds the daily exposure action value specified in the European Directive. Differences between work sites may contribute up to 8.7 dB(A) to noise exposure and up to 0.28 m/s2 and 6.0 m/s1.75 to WBV exposure when working with forwarders and harvesters. Aside from technical upgrades of machines, reduction of exposure to both WBV and noise, while simultaneously maintaining high productivity, requires careful selection of work sites and adapted work organisation

Optimiziranje otvorenosti visokih šuma s prirodnom obnovom

Optimization of primary forest accessibility is observed from the point of intensity of forest management and terrain relief conditions of the forest area. Optimization of primary forest accessibility is the first phase of the planning of primary forest traffic infrastructure. The second phase is designing of new primary forest traffic infrastructure. The high forests with natural regeneration (high forests) in the public forests are selected for optimization of accessibility because they are the most valuable forest category from the point of quantity and quality of timber. Planning of primary forest traffic infrastructure implies analysis of actual primary forest accessibility of high forests, determination of optimal density of primary forest traffic infrastructure, defining of suitability of high forests area for construction of primary forest traffic infrastructure and upgrading of actual primary forest traffic infrastructure with new routes of primary forest traffic infrastructure. Optimization of primary forest accessibility in hilly and mountainous high forests was done in two Management Units, Prosara and Bobija-Ribnik. Optimal density of primary forest traffic infrastructure ranges from 24 to 26 m/ha. Results showed that high forests have potential for sustainable forest management.Optimiziranje primarne otvorenosti šuma promatrano je sa stajališta inteziteta gospodarenja njima i terenskih, odnosno reljefnih karakteristika određenog šumskog područja. Proces optimiziranja primarne otvorenosti šuma je prvi dio procesa planiranja primarne šumske transportne infrastrukture, a drugi dio je projektiranje novih trasa primarne transportne infrastrukture. Ovaj proces je neophodan, jer trenutačna primarna otvorenost šuma u BIH omogućava tek ekstenzivno gospodarenje šumama. Visoke šume s prirodnom obnovom odabrane su za optimizaciju primarne otvorenosti, zbog toga što je ova kategorija šuma najvrijednija s kvantitativnog i kvalitativnog gledišta drvne mase. Planiranje primarne transportne infrastrukture podrazumijeva: analizu trenutačne primarne otvorenosti visokih šuma s prirodnom obnovom, određivanje optimalne gustoće primarne šumske transportne infrastrukture, definiranje pogodnosti šumskog područja za gradnju primarne transportne infrastrukture na osnovi višekriterijske analize i projektiranje novih trasa primarne šumske transportne infrastrukture kao nadogradnja trenutačne. Optimiziranje primarne otvorenosti brdskih i planinskih visokih šuma s prirodnom obnovom obavljeno je u dvije gospodarske jedinice, GJ Prosara i GJ Bobija-Ribnik. Korištena je AHP metoda višekriterijske evaluacije i GIS. Određena je optimalna gustoća primarne šumske transportne infrastrukture od 24, odnosno 26 m/ha za prvu odnosno drugu jedinicu, što će omogućiti normalan intezitet gospodarenja visokim šumama u odabranim GJ

Operator Exposure to Noise and Whole-Body Vibration in a Fully Mechanised CTL Forest Harvesting System in Karst Terrain

In recent decades fully mechanised cut-to-length forest harvesting systems have spread from flat and gentle to steep and rough terrain. To analyse the potential adverse impact of these changes on operator health, an observational study of exposure to noise and whole-body vibration (WBV) was carried out in karst terrain. The results showed that, in contrast to exposure to noise, the exposure of harvester and forwarder operators to WBV exceeds the daily exposure action value specified in the European Directive. Differences between work sites may contribute up to 8.7 dB(A) to noise exposure and up to 0.28 m/s2 and 6.0 m/s1.75 to WBV exposure when working with forwarders and harvesters. Aside from technical upgrades of machines, reduction of exposure to both WBV and noise, while simultaneously maintaining high productivity, requires careful selection of work sites and adapted work organisation

Harvesting System Suitability as Decision Support in Selection Cutting Forest Management in Northwest Bosnia and Herzegovina

Planning of forest harvesting operations is one of the key elements of successful forest management. The integration of modern tools and traditional forestry procedures is something that must be done in contemporary forestry. This research investigated the use of multicriteria decision support (AHP) and GIS in choosing the optimal harvesting system for predominantly selection cutting forest management on the example of two Forest Management Units (FMU). Results showed that AHP could be easily integrated into GIS using the extAHP tool and its results could be of help, along with other input data, in choosing the optimal harvesting system. Spatial analysis of raster data in GIS gives a comprehensive insight into the stand and terrain characteristics and shows the relative share of the area proposed for each system. In FMU »Kozara–Mlječanica«, the harvesting system chainsaw-skidder had the highest relative share with 44% of the area, meaning that it is almost the only harvesting system in current use, followed by chainsaw-forwarder (36%), chainsaw-cable yarder (19%), and chainsaw-adapted agriculture tractor (AAT) (1%). The system harvester-forwarder was not used at all, which is understandable considering that FMU »Kozara–Mlječanica« has a higher average slope and higher diameter of trees to be cut than FMU »Prosara«, where harvester-forwarder system accounts for a significant 36% of the area. The dominant system in FMU »Prosara« was chainsaw-forwarder (42%), followed by chainsaw-cable yarder (17%), chainsaw-skidder (4%) and chainsaw-AAT (1%). It should be noted that the presence of chainsaw-skidder system is insignificant. It is replaced by the system chainsaw-forwarder. Traditional harvesting system chainsaw-skidder, which prevails in Bosnia and Herzegovina, should be upgraded with the new technologies and methods. Using tools like multicriteria decision support and GIS could be of great help in that process