Tigercat forestry and logging equipment: safety in the forest
Focus on Safety
Potential skylight failure on Tigercat 800 series feller
bunchers
Recently, a falling treetop broke the window of an
operator’s cab skylight. A piece of window material entered the cab,
injuring the operator. The skylight that failed conformed to the applicable
industry test standard for falling object protection and the basic design
has been in use for many years.
Using machines in dying or dead forests, as has become
increasingly common in several regions, exposes the cab to more frequent
impacts from larger, heavier falling tops. This significant change in the
operating environment heightens the need to properly maintain the skylight
as an essential piece of operator protective equipment.
The skylight window material is expected to absorb high
levels of energy when impacted by falling debris. Inspect the skylight
assembly daily and immediately after any impacts. Damage to the window
material or steel structure in the area of the window mounting can seriously
reduce the protection level of the skylight assembly.
The following checks and actions should be followed or the
window’s ability to protect the operator will be reduced:
Edges of the window must be evenly supported on a flat surface, be free from
cracks or chips, and must not be pinched or stressed. Bent or dented window
retaining parts or skylight structures should be replaced immediately.
Cracks, chips, or scarring anywhere on the window’s
surface will decrease its impact strength. Windows with these defects must
be replaced immediately.
Only approved window materials may be used for this
application. Identification is hot stamped into a corner of the window to
identify its material composition. Do not use any window without proof of
its material composition. Do not substitute materials other than the type
specified for the machine.
Rubber materials used in mounting the window must also be
maintained in good condition.
Some cleaners can seriously weaken the window material. Do not use window
cleaners other than those specified in the operator’s manual applicable to
your Tigercat machine model.
Skylights should not be modified or replaced with
non-Tigercat approve
Fire safety
Between the Branches, Issue #19:
Drive-to-tree feller buncher fire detection (pdf; 176 KB)
Early detection of a machine fire permits fire fighting to start sooner, increases the success of extinguishing the fire, reduces damages and increases operator safety. For these reasons Tigercat offers an optional fire detection system on all new models of rubber tired feller bunchers and mulchers.
Download the Tigercat fire safety document
(pdf; 266)
Specific steps which owners of any piece of forestry
equipment can follow to reduce the potential for fire. The information is
taken directly from the latest versions of the Tigercat Operator’s Manuals
supplied with each new machine.
Download the Fire
Extinguisher Nozzle Access Holes Product Support Bulletin: PSB1356-wr (pdf; 106KB)
Hand held fire extinguishers are most effective at fighting fires when their
internal, pressurized, dry chemical powder is fully discharged directly at
the fuel source of the fire.
The secure enclosure doors, panels and guards typically
installed on all forestry equipment can make proper discharge inside the
enclosure difficult to achieve. Recently Tigercat Industries began to build
all new machines with fire extinguisher nozzle access holes cut into the
machine enclosure panels. These holes will make portable fire extinguishers
more effective when used in a fire emergency.
Logging safety links
National Timber Harvesting and Transportation Safety Foundation (USA)
www.loggingsafety.com
Contains links and ordering information for numerous logging safety handbooks, videos, pamphlets and releases
Forest Resource Association (USA)
Association of Equipment Manufacturers (International)
aem.org/safety
Contains ordering information for safety manuals covering crawler
tractors, feller bunchers, forwarder, log skidders and a wide range of farm
and construction equipment.
Chain shot safety links
Oregon Cutting Systems (USA)
Chain shot is the high velocity separation and ejection of a piece or pieces of cutting chain from the end of a broken chain in mechanized timber cutting. Chain shot exposes both machine operators and bystanders to a risk of serious injury or death.
Steep slope operation safety links
Health and Safety Executive (UK)
www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/afag705.pdf
A leaflet describing safe work practices to be followed when harvesting
and extracting trees on steep or difficult ground.
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