Cutting patterns as a predictor of the odds of accident among professional fellers

The increasing share of forests that are damaged due to natural disturbances potentially increases the risk of accident when cutting the affected forests. The main goal of the study was to analyse the odds of accident by type and causes of cutting. The study was based on 316 accidents among professional fellers during cutting in Slovenian state forests over a 7-year period. The two most rational binary logistic models were selected by using Akaike's Information Criterion. The research results indicated that the odds of accident increase with the slope of the terrain and total volume of felled trees. Contrary to expectations, the odds of accident are highest during the cutting of individual healthy and undamaged trees, lower in deforestation due to urbanisation and infrastructure requirements, which is similar to clearcutting, and lowest during the cutting of trees damaged by biotic and abiotic factors. As an individual cause of accident, cutting trees damaged by insects, fires and emissions is the least dangerous, while cutting trees damaged by glaze ice and snow is the most dangerous. The results indicate that, in addition to natural factors, the likelihood of cutting-related accidents also depends on the time of exposure to hazards, type of harvesting and tree characteristics. On the basis of the results, it is concluded that measures to reduce the likelihood of professional fellers must be particularly focused on routine tasks and on adjusting the work pace and technique to the working conditions.