From November to March, silvicultural work takes place in the forests to maintain favourable conditions in young stands, but this period gives way to the start of the active logging season. To help companies working in logging make well-considered decisions about organising and improving their day-to-day work processes, we have prepared this advisory article, in which you will learn about the most frequently identified non-conformities and the most important points for complying with nature and environmental protection requirements, as well as occupational safety and fire safety requirements.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURE PROTECTION

Environmental protection requirements are a set of measures for preserving environmental quality and ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources, while nature protection requirements cover the set of measures observed so that resources present and available in nature are used sustainably.

Environmental protection requirements establish that, when carrying out economic activity, natural riches are protected at the same time and care is taken with the surrounding environment – no oil is spilled, no ruts are driven and no waste is left behind. Nature protection means that valuable flowers are not mown down, veteran trees are not felled, birds are not disturbed during the nesting season and so on.

Environmental protection requirements (are laid down by the Environmental Protection Law, adopted on 2.11.2006)

The European Agreement governing the international carriage of dangerous goods by road, or ADR, stipulates that only metal fuel tanks with the corresponding ADR marking codes may be placed on the ground in the forest. Tanks made of plastic or another material that comply with the ADR agreement may be used to deliver fuel, but they may not be placed on the ground. Fuel tanks must bear hazard signs and information about the substance being transported.

For refuelling hand tools with smaller engine capacities, smaller cans fitted with a fuel or oil spout are used, in order to reduce accidental pollution from spilling the substance past the opening. These technical fluids are stored in suitable, well-sealed containers.

To reduce leaks of technical fluids into the environment during refuelling or repair of machinery, materials that absorb petroleum products – mats and booms – are used. Every unit of machinery must carry a petroleum product absorbent kit! The kit contains: an absorbent boom, absorbent mats, gloves and waste bags.

Absorbent mats are placed at leak points – under running oil during repairs, under dripping fuel while refuelling, or under a container of technical fluid if a leak is observed from it. An absorbent boom is used immediately in every case where the coloured film characteristic of petroleum products can be seen on water. In flowing water, the boom is placed downstream of the pollution site so as to prevent the pollution from spreading further into the body of water.

To reduce environmental pollution, only biodegradable BIO oils are used to lubricate chainsaw chains; their use has been mandatory since 2012. The packaging of this product must state that it is a preparation developed on a vegetable oil base.

Any hazardous, environmentally threatening pollution requiring the involvement of qualified experts to remedy it must be reported immediately to the responsible person at AS Latvijas valsts meži who issued the work assignment.

Basic requirements for waste management:

Pollution from household waste is not permitted. All waste is kept in waste bags. Household and hazardous waste must be sorted separately; however, if soil contamination has occurred during the work, the top layer of the damaged soil must be raked up immediately, placed in a waste bag and handed over at a hazardous waste collection point. Likewise, petroleum product absorbents that are no longer fit for further use must be handed over to a hazardous waste manager.

Leaving or burying waste of any kind in the forest or at any other work site is not permitted!

Nature protection requirements:

• Do not damage, saw or cut up ecological trees, even if they have fallen to the ground.
• Do not carry out silvicultural work (planting, agrotechnical tending, tending of young stands) in the groups of retained ecological trees.
• In wet hollows, retain the growth that is the vegetation characteristic of these places (such places are marked in the work assignment issued and are visible).
• Retain groups of undergrowth and understorey around fox and badger burrow systems.

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY

All persons carrying out logging work in a felling site must be trained and instructed in safe working practices and methods for logging work, as confirmed by signatures in the occupational safety instruction log. The qualifications and competence of self-employed persons are confirmed by a certificate issued by a licensed educational institution.

An employee must have their employee certificate or cooperation agreement available at the work site, and the machine operator must be able to present at the site a driving licence entitling them to operate tractor machinery of the relevant category.

A completed technological map of the felling site operations must be kept at the felling site, in which employees have confirmed with their signature that they have familiarised themselves with it.

To reduce health risks, occupational safety and personal protection measures must be observed.

Mandatory health checks must be carried out periodically in accordance with Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 219 “Procedures for Mandatory Health Checks”.

Preventive measures must be observed to reduce risks:

• vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis is required, Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 330 Vaccination Regulations
• direct contact with Sosnowsky's hogweed must be avoided,
• avoid climbing in places where the footing is not secure (risk of injury from falling).

All persons carrying out logging work must be equipped with personal protective equipment, and it must be used during the work in accordance with the task being performed:

• work footwear;
• work clothing;
• protective gloves, a safety helmet and hearing protection (according to working conditions);
• Reflective clothing or a reflective vest.

A first aid kit must be available at the work site and everyone must know where it is kept.

Fuel storage tanks must be marked with the appropriate hazard signs and information about their contents.

Fire extinguishers must be kept ready for use and must undergo mandatory annual technical inspections.

Tools that are safe to work with:

Regardless of the manufacturer's technical data, visual appearance and other parameters of a power tool, the tool must meet all occupational safety conditions. Tools used in daily work must undergo periodic technical servicing, and, where necessary, emergency servicing, so that the tool is safe to work with.

Hazardous zones:

Hazardous zones in which the safety and health of those working in the felling site and of other persons may be endangered must be marked with the appropriate safety signs in accordance with Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 400 “Occupational Safety Requirements for the Use of Safety Signs”. They must also be placed outside the felling site on forest roads and footpaths that cross it or adjoin it.

FIRE SAFETY IN THE FOREST

Each year the State Forest Service determines the forest fire hazard period and announces its start and end throughout the territory of Latvia.

During the fire hazard period it is prohibited to:

Light fires in forests and bogs, except in specially designated places.

Drop burning or smouldering matches, cigarette ends and other objects in forests, in bogs or on roads crossing them.

Carry out any burning that produces smoke and could mislead those on fire watch duty, without agreement from the State Forest Service forest district.

Be careful and do not burn in the forest:

• waste,
• felling residues, and do not light fires in places where fire sites have not been specially set up,
• fires closer than 2 metres to growing trees,
• fires in places where the peat layer of the soil is thicker than 0.5 metres.

Requirements for safe fire sites:

A fire must be set up ≥10 m from a refuelling point

The distance of a fire from a living, growing tree must be ≥2 m

Important! A fire site must not be left unattended; if you leave the fire site, the fire must be put out.

Compliance with fire safety requirements related to occupational safety rules is equally important:

Every person must comply with fire safety requirements;

Logging machinery must be equipped with a fire extinguisher that is kept in serviceable condition – they must undergo mandatory annual technical inspections.

Persons must comply with fire safety requirements, including refuelling chainsaws no closer than 10 m from an open flame.

Machinery must be specially equipped with safety devices for work in the forest and must be used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

THE MOST FREQUENTLY IDENTIFIED NON-CONFORMITIES IN AUDITS OF LOGGING OPERATIONS

• employees do not use suitable personal protective equipment, or use damaged equipment;
• insufficient knowledge of how to provide first aid;
• the first aid kit has passed its expiry date;
• the kit does not contain a list of the medical supplies in the official language;
• environmental kits, fire extinguishers and so on are not available in the machinery units.

Failure to comply with certification requirements can even lead to suspension of the certificate, thereby having a significant negative impact on the sale of timber products.

Every business owner can see to the fulfilment of occupational and environmental safety requirements in their company either using their own resources or by calling in a competent body, which will make the processes easier and save you time.

This material was produced in cooperation with SIA “FN-SERVISS”, the leading provider of fire safety and occupational safety services in the Baltics. https://fnserviss.lv
Photograph used from pexels.com