Health and safety - forestry machine operators status and point of view

Mechanized wood harvesting is fast developing in many former planned economies East Europe Countries. Good examples of that process could be seen in Estonia, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland too. In Poland strong and lasting mechanization of wood harvesting has started almost two decades ago and rapid growth is noted. Significant influx of cheap, used machinery with low level of technological component brought into Poland is listed too. The importance of working conditions, their compatibility with people needs and expectations grows, as the population is moving forward. Modern employees need safety and health conditions of work just close to their working environment. This study is a result of prolong project started more than decade ago, aimed to collect data regarding mechanized forest harvesting operators status and development in Poland. The knowledge is based on diverse data coming from questionnaires, team of specialist meetings, scientific review. Within an extended case-study research collected information is based on interviews with operators and contractors. Twenty seven forestry machine operators were investigated. Health and safety aspects of work were covered by information on work organization, typical work day, sick-leave, accidents at work data, occupational diseases, ache, pain and discomfort symptoms related to work.