How to cope in sawmills

The HSE has issued revised guidance on sawmilling in response to the higher levels of automation in the sawmilling industry.

Between 1985 and 1995, 19 people working in the sector lost their lives. Although, automation has caused a drop in the number of personnel working in the industry, the number of incidents per employee remains high. Accordingly, the HSE continues to classify sawmilling as a high-risk industry.

The updated guidance includes advice on workplace design, safeguarding machinery and investigating incidents. Some areas highlighted are steps to take in order to limit the chance of wood being ejected from machinery at speed.

Sawmills are noisy environments in which to work. Damage to hearing, resulting in hearing loss and sometimes the discomfort of ringing in the ears (tinnitus) is likely, if suitable precautions aren’t taken.

Experience has shown that in most sawmills the majority of the workers suffer daily personal noise exposures in excess of 85dB (the upper exposure action value). As noise levels are still likely to remain high when engineering controls have been implemented, the choice of suitable hearing protectors and desirability of other measures, such as hearing tests, is very important.

www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg172.pdf