from the editor
Solid and stable Paving the way in forestry roading
Managing hand-arm vibration risk
DOWN TIME
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BACK ON TRACK ISSN 1176-0397
PHOTO: JOHN ELLEGARD
September 2021
KFT Logging’s Sharon Knowles and son, Steven, with their new Hitachi ZX290L-5G loader/ shoveller.
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TOOLS ARE DOWN, MACHINES STAND STILL AND OUR FORESTS are eerily quiet as COVID Level 4 lockdown swiftly takes hold of the industry. The settings for this Alert Level 4 are very similar to those of last year, which means forestry is still not an essential service. The hope is that by the time you pick up this magazine, industry will be up and running again but with the Delta variant making its way swiftly through Auckland, and now on to Wellington, predictions for next week or the week after are anyone’s guess. ‘Communicate, communicate, communicate’ is the message from FICA. For now, this is a three-day lockdown, and in the Auckland/Coromandel areas a little longer with a ‘more intense, more thorough appproach to see ourselves out of this situation’. Since it is out of our hands, make the most of this time with your family. Sleep late, hug your kids in the morning and tuck them into bed at night. And get some well-earned rest, ready for the bush to welcome you back with open arms. What will we come back to? Well, as you’ll see in our Forest Talk pages, demand for logs from China is still strong but the winter slowdown is upon us, and woodlot owners and contractors are being more cautious. On the plus side, the Government is taking note of the warning bells signalled by the recent port build-ups, allowing ports to continue loading ships during the COVID Level 4 lockdown with the associated positive knock-on effect down the forestry supply chain. Also in this issue, you’ll find a forestry roading legacy left by roading legend, Bob Taylor. Half a century after he bought his first bulldozer, Taylors Contracting is thriving, specialising in forestry infrastructure construction and maintenance, earthmoving, civil engineering construction, and quarry services throughout the South Island. And no one will deny that a hard day’s work takes a toll on our bodies. When you pick up a chainsaw or any other power tool, hand-arm vibration doesn’t immediately come to mind, but by the time numbing, tingling or lack of strength show-up, it may be too late. We hope our Worker Wellness article this month reminds you to take care of your body and be aware of risks and how to manage them. It’s the only body you’re going to get. Until next time, stay safe.
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