Sammlung von Newsfeeds

The same exoskeleton principles that protect grasshoppers, crabs and similar creatures could also help protect the 25,000 or so workers in the job with the highest injury and fatality rates in America: forestry. Source: Timberbiz “Forestry is vitally important to our economy and our standard of living, but its workers pay a high price, with an injury rate that is 40% higher than the average of all other industries and fatality rates that are 20 to 30 times higher,” said Jeong Ho “Jay” Kim, PhD, a systems engineering expert with the Texas A&M University School of Public Health. In a recent study, Kim and co-author Woodam Chung, PhD, a forest engineer at Oregon State University, were the first to objectively measure biomechanical stress experienced by professional timber fellers during actual timber felling operations. They also evaluated forest workers’ perceptions of wearable exoskeletons — emerging technology already being used in other physically demanding industries such as shipbuilding and automotive and aerospace manufacturing. Kim said that most forestry injuries and fatalities are associated with manual timber felling with a chain saw and related activities such as delimbing and cutting felled trees into logs and other smaller pieces. These activities require forceful exertions, awkward postures, repetitive motions and hand-arm vibrations. As a result, more than 70 percent of forestry workers experience work-related musculoskeletal disorders, primarily in their shoulders and lower backs. These risks are magnified by the isolated, rugged conditions in which this work takes place — often on terrain with unstable footing and unpredictable weather, Kim said. Kim and Chung’s work was supported by the Economic Development Administration and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and published in the International Journal of Forest Engineering. Study participants were recruited as a convenience sample through local forest industry partners, the Pacific Northwest Agriculture Safety and Health and USDA Forest Service District Offices in Oregon and Idaho. The study had two parts. First, to identify the types of exoskeletons that would be most appropriate and beneficial, the researchers measured the biomechanical stress levels of 10 currently employed professional timber fellers — nine men and one woman, all age 21 or older — who performed manual timber felling while wearing sensors. Inertial measurement unit sensors were placed on the participants’ torsos (the midpoint of sternum) and the outside of both arms directly below the shoulder. As the participants worked their shifts of three to four and a half hours, all three sensors continuously synchronized via Bluetooth and saved the data. When the work shifts were completed, the researchers removed the sensors and saved the data into a cloud server. These participants also completed a paper survey that assessed how much they knew about exoskeletons, how accepting they were of the concept, and their perceived barriers and risks of using exoskeletons. In addition, another 12 currently employed foresters (all men) took the same survey online. The 22 respondents were primarily in Oregon, followed by Montana, Idaho and Washington, and reported 38 job titles (many of them had multiple roles). They were timber fellers, managers/CEOs, equipment operators, safety officers, cable logging crew members and trainers. The survey identified musculoskeletal pain in seven body parts: neck, shoulders, low back, wrist/forearms, knees, legs and ankles/feet. Low back was the most prevalent, with a pain level of 3.7 on a 10-point scale. “This finding suggests that back-support and upper-limb support exoskeletons may be suitable to the forestry industry,” Kim said. In addition, most participants — about 53% — were not familiar with assistive technologies such as exoskeletons at all, while 21% said they were slightly familiar. “Upon learning about exoskeletons, these participants had considerable interest in using them for timber felling, cutting/sawing and mechanic work as long as they did not impair mobility and were affordable and easy to use and maintain,” Kim said, adding that weight and the risk of getting snagged were potential concerns. “While our study sample was too small to be generalizable, the results provided a strong foundation for our current federally funded work to further assess the ways exoskeletons could help forestry workers stay safer on the job,” Kim said.    

The post Exoskeleton principles to protect forestry workers appeared first on Timberbiz.

A new study in The Journal of Cleaner Production confirms that FSC certification contributes to maintaining and increasing forest cover, especially in lower-middle income countries. Source: Timberbiz These findings reinforce the conclusions of previous research and provide insights on adapting regional certification strategies to increase sustainable forest management. The study, led by researchers Inoussa Boubacar and Yaya Sissoko, investigated the critical role of FSC certification in promoting sustainable forest management and mitigating deforestation across diverse economic and climatic contexts. Using dynamic panel data model and Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimations on 70 countries from 2000 – 2021, the researchers examined forest cover as a measure for impact of FSC certification. Results indicate that FSC certification contributes to maintaining and increasing forest cover across diverse economic and climatic contexts. This positive impact is most strongly observed in lower-middle income countries (as defined by World Bank economic classifications). Scaling up certification and integrating it into national policies could benefit countries of this economic category. The data also shows positive impacts of certification on low-, middle-, and high-income countries. The study also found that FSC certification has a positive impact on all climate zones – tropical, temperate, and others. However, the strength of the impact varies across zones, highlighting the need for region-specific strategies. Based on these findings, the authors recommend: tailoring strategies for different regions and countries based on economic structures, governance capacities, market conditions, and climatic zones; embedding FSC certification into national and international forest governance frameworks; aligning certification with trade policies; further aligning FSC with international initiatives such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) for example as was done in the Congo Basin; and strengthening collaboration among stakeholders including policymakers, companies, and international organizations to increase the adoption of FSC certification to mitigate deforestation.

The post FSC certification contributes to maintaining and increasing forest cover appeared first on Timberbiz.

Russia’s timber industry is warning of widespread production shutdowns as the sector reels from Western sanctions, declining demand and a surging Ruble that has battered the country’s export competitiveness. The Moscow Times In a letter to Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov reviewed by the Kommersant business daily, the Russian Association of Organizations and Enterprises of the Pulp and Paper Industry described the current moment as one of the industry’s most difficult periods in modern history. Industry data show that timber harvesting fell 13% in 2024 compared with pre-war levels in 2021, lumber production dropped 11% and plywood output declined 23%. Even pulp production, one of the sector’s more stable outputs, decreased by 3%. Major industry players including Segezha Group and ULK Group have been restructuring loans over the past two years in response to falling output, sliding prices and soaring costs. But the situation has continued to deteriorate, especially within the export-heavy pulp and paper sector. Sanctions imposed by the West in response to the war in Ukraine have effectively cut off access to the European market, traditionally one of Russia’s largest buyers of timber products. At the same time, the strengthening Ruble has made Russian exports less competitive abroad, further shrinking revenue for producers already struggling to adjust to new global trading conditions. Compounding the problem is the Central Bank’s steep 20% key interest rate along with a hike in the profit tax rate from 20% to 25%, measures aimed at stabilizing the broader economy that have inadvertently tightened the screws on manufacturers. “There is no market for products such as pellets, roundwood or wood chips, and lumber prices are in continual decline,” said Vladimir Butorin, CEO of ULK Group, told Kommersant. In addition to export woes, the industry is also confronting weak domestic demand and fading prospects in China, traditionally a fallback market for Russian timber. Executives say China’s ongoing trade tensions with the U.S. and a prolonged slump in the country’s construction sector have sharply reduced buying activity. Segezha Group representatives told Kommersant that companies are suffering from “export complications, construction sector challenges, diminishing demand, higher logistics costs and declining operational efficiency.” The industry leaders’ letter calls on the government to create an emergency operations centre within the Industry and Trade Ministry to monitor the sector and develop stabilization measures. Economist Denis Kondratyev said that while the strong Ruble may be a sign of macroeconomic resilience, it is crippling Russia’s exporters. “A strong Ruble damages export opportunities by making shipments less attractive and raising the cost of products in foreign markets,” he said. He also noted that rising imports, even amid sanctions, are placing further pressure on domestic producers struggling to stay afloat. Kondratyev argued that government protectionist policies are necessary, including restricting imports in the domestic market.

The post Russia on the brink of shutdowns after Western sanctions appeared first on Timberbiz.