Being crushed by falling trees or branches is one of the top dangers of forest harvesting, Competenz forestry manager Mark Preece says.
He's in charge of training for most of New Zealand's forestry industry. He said the accident and fatality rate for forest workers has been unacceptably high and the right training can reduce it, but the bottom line is that forest harvesting is dangerous work.
Falling trees and branches are a major danger. Chainsaws can inflict severe wounds, but with protective clothing, those are now uncommon.
Fatigue, drugs and bravado also increase the risks of a dangerous job.
Many forest harvesters have to drive long distances for their day's work, and work long hours in a physically demanding job. Fatigue and inattention can make for accidents.
Most of the workers are men and can be subject to the bravado factor, such as not wanting to ask for help or question what's going on.
Working while under the influence of drugs increases all the risks. It has been a problem in the past, but is less so now.
"The majority of companies and contractors now do pre-employment and random testing. That has certainly improved things, but no one would claim there wasn't still an ongoing issue," Mr Preece said.
Competenz is working with about 3000 forestry trainees. They are among the 7000 people in the country whose job is harvesting trees. That number is expected to rise dramatically during the next 10 years as trees come ready for harvest.
Mr Preece said recent forestry deaths - 11 in the 13 months that ended in January - were not acceptable. But during the past five to 10 years negative statistics had been tracking downward.
It was hard to compare New Zealand's death and injury rate to other countries, he said, because some countries didn't include harvesters in their forest statistics.
Harvesters felled trees, then they were "broken out", which means they were hooked to a machine or cable and moved to a platform for cutting to length and loading. The platform was a dangerous place to work too, with machines moving around.
But the platform was where most forestry workers started, Mr Preece said.
Competenz offers them training to New Zealand Qualifications Authority levels 2 to 6, and has just revised its qualifications. There is theory, with material about health and safety, environment care and quality delivered in writing and online, and practical training on the ground.
At Level 2 new workers started on the platform, cutting logs to length for transport. They learned safe chainsaw skills and were under supervision.
"They're under direct supervision, one to one with a trainer for a while, until he's satisfied they can be let loose," Mr Preece said.
At Level 3 they moved out into the forest to fell a range of different trees. At Level 4 they would be using machines, many of them computerised and high-tech, and also felling in difficult country and breaking out.
Breaking out is when felled trees are attached to a machine or cable and towed to the platform. A breaking-out crew usually has three or four people, with the new trainee under supervision.
At Level 5 the training is for managing a crew, and at Level 6 it's a diploma in management.
Trainees do have opportunities for career advancement, Mr Preece said. They could aspire to use high-tech machines, supervise a crew or own one.
As well as training, there are three other layers of rules and expectations for forestry harvesting. One is the Health and Safety in Employment Act, which is being revised to clarify responsibilities. Then there's an industry-approved code of practice that sits under that. Then there are best practice guidelines for the whole sector, and some individual companies have their own guidelines as well.
Compliance with all these levels of regulation was variable.
"A good contractor will have comprehensive health and safety management process, check it is used regularly, and discuss hazards," Mr Preece said.
As a result of all the recent deaths an independent panel of three is undertaking a review of forest safety.
The result could shake things up a lot, he added.