Cable logging safety highlighted
WITH THE INCREASE IN MECHANISATION across the logging industry we are seeing a lot more machine instability incidents. With this in mind, Moutere Logging crews in both the North and South Island were recently fortunate to be part of a workshop presented by cable logging specialist Brian Tuor.
“Brian is a master at making the seemingly complicated mathematical equations appear simple and always has a story to help people understand the theory,” says Moutere Logging Health & Safety Manager, Rob Wooster.
“Machine instability incidents often come down to people not understanding the forces they are enabling when they dig in a winch assist machine or backline anchor. Brian is able to both explain and demonstrate how these forces apply to the logging industry in a way that loggers understand.
“All our people have gained valuable knowledge from this course,” he adds.
Brian spent two weeks presenting to small groups covering the following essential subjects: • Anchors: Including stumps, machines, deadman, tieback methods and how to properly install them.
• Guy ropes: How the tension changes with the angle of the guy rope, including a physical demonstration of this tension increase as the angle is increased.
• Skyline: The importance of deflection and how it works, how vibration fatigue works and what happens to a rope that has been over-tensioned.
• Demonstration with a model hauler showing how defection works on the skyline.
Based in south central Washington, Brian does workshops and onsite visits to enhance cable loggers’ understanding of their machines and to pass on his knowledge from over 50 years of working in, and with, the cable logging industry.
“I also offer an outside set of eyes looking at how cable haulers and swing yarders are set up and operating to identify issues which may lead to accidents or incidences. Safety of operations runs through everything that I teach,” says Brian.