The aim of?the study was to?find out whether and how the forest soil compaction resulting from the traffic?of forest logging machines results in?the increased soil air concentration of?CO2, occurring over a?longer period of?time and in?differe...

Having a proper view from the cabin of agricultural and forest machines is one of the main factors affecting work safety and efficiency. In forestry, machine operators very often perform working activities also in the rear of the cabin. Requirements, criteria and test procedures for the field of view from the tractor cabin are stipulated by the international technical standard ISO 5721. This study evaluates field view parameters from the cabin of the tractor (Valtra T 6300) and trailer (STS 12T) unit. In accordance with the test procedures, prescribed parameters were evaluated for the forward field of view; values for the rear field of view were determined in addition to outside the standard. In order to achieve more accurate measurements and faster evaluation of data, one of the latest methods—using laser pulse reflections (method of terrestrial laser scanning)—was employed. The results of our study demonstrate that even the construction of machines manufactured before the above-mentioned standard came to force can meet the current requirements, except for minor deviations.

The work of chainsaw operators in the forest environment is a hazardous activity associated with great physical effort, inappropriate posture and significant strain on individual body parts. The aim of this study was to gather and evaluate data on the fatigue of individual body parts of professional chainsaw operators felling trees in the forest. The research focused on twelve body parts (eight in the upper half and four in the lower half of the body), each divided into the right and left parts. Based on the questionnaire method, 170 professional chainsaw operators working in the Czech Republic participated in this research. The questions in the questionnaire were divided into two sections, and the answers were used to draw diagrams that were consecutively analysed and quantitatively characterised based on descriptive statistics. The research results indicated that the most stressed part of the operator’s body at the end of a shift was the lumbar region. The second most stressed body parts were the wrist and hands. In contrast, the neck was the least stressed part of the operator’s body.

The work of tree climbers is a hazardous activity during which many risks of occupational accidents must be faced. Numerous injuries happen during the performance of this professional activity. This is why our research was conducted, and the principle of which was to gather and evaluate, on the basis of the questionnaire method, injuries occurring to tree climbers during their work. An anonymous online questionnaire was prepared in order to obtain data about the rate of accidents recorded amongst tree climbers working in the territory of the Czech Republic. There were 121 tree climbers participating in the collection of data. The questionnaire was divided into seven sections, each section including questions focused on possible injuries related to the work of tree climbers and first aid. Answers of respondents indicated that the highest number of injuries were caused by cutting with the manual saw. Burns caused by the power saw and damage to eyes by sawdust or dust during sawing followed. The results also showed that nearly 30% of tree climbers work alone, and 47% of tree climbers collaborate with a ground worker who is not able to rescue them from the tree in the case of an exceptional unexpected situation. The research also revealed surprising results as to carrying first aid kits. Only 62% of tree climbers have a personal first aid kit on them in the tree crown. However, a positive finding appears in the fact that 75% of tree climbers are graduates of some medical course.

This paper seeks to answer the question of whether the magnitude of vibrations affecting the whole body of the harvester operator (WBV) that are generated by the harvester boom is affected by the size of the processed trunk volume, to specify closer, the magnitude of WBVs generated during forest logging, and to localise these WBVs in individual partial operations. For these purposes, the production process, i.e., forest logging, was divided into six partial operations (Searching; Felling; Processing; Unproductive time; Machine movement; Stationary position). WBVs were scanned in the respective partial operations according to standard ISO 2631-1:1997 and the European Directive 2002/44/EC, and then the values were mutually compared. Volumes of processed trunks were recorded, which were then assigned to the given WBV during the respective operations. Research results did not demonstrate a correlation between the size of the transmitted vibrations and the volumes of cut trunks in the partial work operations of Felling and Processing. Neither a difference was found between the individual partial operations with two exceptions: Searching and Felling/Processing and Unproductive time. The research further showed that the average WBV of three partial operations did not meet the daily limit of 0.50 m/s² permitted by European Directive 2002/44/EC, within a range from 12.20% to 27.02%.

Stumps left behind after the felling of trees represent an important source of renewable energy that could be used for fuel mixtures as a sustainable solution. The subject of this research was to determine the influence of tree species, stump diameter size, and subsoil on the time required for stump processing. Evaluated parameters included the mean time for one stump’s processing; the stump processing time based on the stump diameter; different soil types and tree species; and the tree species type (coniferous, broadleaved). The research was conducted in the territory of the Czech Republic in 2020/2021. There were 287 stumps and 6 tree species in total. The stumps were uprooted using a new prototype of grubbing head, developed at Mendel University in Brno, attached as an adapter on the boom of a JCB JS 220 LC excavator with a tracked undercarriage and was controlled remotely from an excavator cab. Research results confirmed that the processing time of one stump depends on the stump diameter (GLM), and the time needed for the processing of one stump increased with an increase in stump diameter in all experimental sites. An equation was suggested to predict the time needed to work on one stump.