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New guidance to simplify safety for forestry businesses and workers has been published by WorkSafe New Zealand. Source: Timberbiz Forestry had the highest fatality rate of any sector in 2024, with 16.58 deaths per 100,000 workers. The fatality rate is 20 times higher than the average for all industries. The Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) for forestry and harvesting operations was spearheaded by WorkSafe, in collaboration with the forestry industry. The ACOP has now been launched by the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, Brooke van Velden. The guidance outlines the responsibilities and legal expectations for operators and helps workers know what good looks like. An update to the good practice guide for small forestry operations has also been published, along with educational resources to aid understanding. New information is included on machine safety, planting and pruning (silviculture), managing work-related health, and manual tree felling. “The guidance blends technical expertise with hands-on knowledge from the sector, and uses shared language between the two,” WorkSafe’s chief executive Sharon Thompson said. WorkSafe’s role is to influence businesses and workers to meet their responsibilities and keep people healthy and safe. “Reducing deaths and injuries in forestry requires everyone in the sector to properly plan for and practise safe harvesting.” The updated ACOP is the first key deliverable from WorkSafe’s priority plan for forestry. The organisation will be undertaking targeted assessments to help embed the guidance in the coming months. The Forest Industry Safety Council, the New Zealand Forest Owners Association, and the Forest Industry Contractors Association partnered with WorkSafe to develop the new guidance. “Huge strides have been made to improve work health and safety in the forestry industry, but there’s plenty of work to be done. We want the same thing – for our people to be safe on the job, and to come home from work safely every day,” said Joe Akari, chief executive of the Forest Industry Safety Council and Safetree New Zealand. Read the updated forestry guidance at https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/topic-and-industry/forestry/  

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In a new report, Australia’s leading tech and engineering academy has highlighted the urgent need for Australia to reduce reliance on diesel in mining, road freight, agriculture, fisheries and forestry. Source: Timberbiz The report, released today by the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) in partnership with Fortescue, gives five clear recommendations, including that the Federal Government commission an independent review to reform financial incentives that support diesel use. ATSE CEO Dr Kylie Walker said that to achieve its low-emission targets, Australia needed to take a new approach to fuelling heavy industry, and this could be achieved by applying technological solutions, and reforming policy and tax levers that support diesel. “There is an urgent need to decarbonise Australia’s most emissions-intensive sectors,” Dr Walker said. “By encouraging the application of mature clean fuel technologies, investing in fast-tracking clean tech in development, reducing the cost of green alternatives and increasing the cost of diesel in a targeted and balanced way, Australia can achieve its industrial decarbonisation. “Early-stage research and development initiatives are also crucial in supporting the transition away from diesel.” The report calls for an independent review which should consider a range of reforms, including to the Fuel Tax Credits Scheme (FTCS), which is a major barrier to the transition away from diesel. By subsidising diesel use, the FTCS currently protects high-emitting sectors from the true cost of fossil fuel consumption and undermines national emissions reduction goals. The report also recommends examining changes to the Australian market-based emissions reduction mechanism by exploring the introduction of carbon pricing or an adjustment of the Safeguard Mechanism to better reflect the environmental impact of diesel. ATSE’s report highlights a range of mature and emerging technologies, and the need for a comprehensive techno-economic assessment of decarbonisation pathways beyond electrification – as well as mechanisms to bring clean fuel tech to market. Other recommendations include the establishment of a coordinated Future Diesel Strategy, investment in comprehensive infrastructure to support the clean energy transition and targeted R&D investment. ATSE Fellow, Fortescue Board Member and former CSIRO Chief Executive, Dr Larry Marshall emphasised the importance of Industry partnering with Government to shape science-based Industry and Energy policy. “Heavy Industry wants to transition to cleaner fuels, but the current policy settings make it harder than it should be. Right now, the Fuel Tax Credit scheme effectively subsidises burning diesel, while companies that invest in clean alternatives face higher costs especially in this transition period. That imbalance holds back innovation and locks in emissions,” Dr Marshall said. “The Federal Government has a critical role to play in fixing those settings and creating incentives that accelerate the adoption of clean technologies. At the same time, Industry must step up and co-invest in the solutions that will cut emissions and deliver new green industries for Australia. “If we want Australia to become a Clean Energy Superpower; if we want a Future Made in Australia; then we need a system that rewards smarter, cleaner choices. Emerging clean technologies need the right mix of policy, incentives and investment to make Australia’s green and gold vision a reality.” Dr Walker said a strategic mix of policies, investment and industry engagement was necessary to support this transition. “The transition away from diesel while supporting thriving Australian freight, mining, agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors is a complex challenge. It won’t be easy and there is no one-size-fits-all solution – it will need to be all-encompassing” she said. “But we have the technology; we can do it if we get the settings right.”

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