Journal of Forest Engineering • 75 Mechanisation Developments Within

The ergonomie benefits of mechanisation for the forest worker focus around the removal of the worker from the majority of the hazards and severe physical workloads inherent in the forest workplace. However, the characteristics of the current New Zealand forest industry workforce, the lackof trained operators, lack of appropriate training and selection programmes, and the high level of turnover in the New Zealand forest industry, are current obstacles to the full achievement of mechanisation's ergo-nomie benefits. In order for the New Zealand forest industry to maximise the economic and ergonomie benefits of mechanisation, some formal preparation of machine operators is essential