Šušnjar Marijan, PhD. Assoc. Prof.

Technical development and system optimization during the last decades have targeted more efficient, socially acceptable and ecologically sustainable ways to use forestry machines and tools. This is supported by the development of electronics and electrical components, as well as battery technology, without which it is impossible to imagine doing some forestry work in forest areas with no permanent source of electricity. Today, we cannot imagine life without e.g. a cell phone, and also doing business in the forestry sector without a field computer. There are numerous examples in everyday life, but also in industry, where portable devices make life and business much easier, and the basis for the operation of these devices is battery technology. The importance of the development of battery technology is proven by the fact that in 2019 the Nobel Prize in Chemistry went into the hands of scientists who developed a lithium-ion battery - a lightweight, rechargeable and powerful battery that is used today in numerous products from mobile phones to laptops and electric vehicles. This paper will outline the historical development of battery technology and the use of battery powered devices, tools and machines with their advantages and disadvantages in forestry sector.

Labour force represents the sum of human physical and mental abilities used for the production of whatever kind of use values. In forestry, the performance of work operations, especially wood harvesting, represents a high-risk, physically intensive, and professionally very demanding activity, which inevitably requires a qualified and sustainable labour force. Professional, skilful and motivated forestry workers are the basic requirement for efficient forestry operations and make a constituent part of todays sustainable forest management. However, the forestry sector has recently been facing the increasing problem of a shortage of forestry workers i.e. the major challenge of obtaining the necessary labour force. The reasons for this are different demographic, economic, technological and political processes, as well as the specifics of the forestry sector itself. Therefore, in addition to some general indicators of the forestry workforce condition in Europe and worldwide, this paper presents forestry experts’ reflections on the future perspectives of forest work in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Special attention is paid to current issues and problems in attaining and ensuring the necessary labour force (attitudes on forestry work and the profession of forestry worker, gravity of the labour shortage, leading causes and reasons for the lack of forestry workers) and to possible measures and instruments important for improving the forestry workforce sustainability (factors for successful recruitment of forestry workers, stronger retention of workers, greater work commitment, general forest management issues affecting workforce sustainability, etc.). The opinions of forestry experts in public and private companies were statistically tested for differences. The aim of the study is to sensibilize the sector and the public on the problems of the labour force in forestry, its condition and status, and to create the basis that can contribute to bettering the status and sustainability of the labour force in forestry.

Today in many countries and regions, forestry sector deals with a considerable shortage of forestry workers and faces the serious challenge of ensuring a qualified and sustainable workforce. Current global processes and structural changes, such as emigration from rural areas, aging of the population, unfavorable age structure of existing employees, negative demographic trends (migrations, decline in birth rate, negative natural increase, etc.), lack of interest in the so-called 3D (dirty, dangerous and demeaning) jobs, low cost of labor and others, significantly contribute to such an adverse situation. Additionally, forestry work, especially wood harvesting, represents a very risky, professionally highly demanding and physically extremely intensive activity, which is regularly classified as one of the most dangerous occupations with a high proportion of serious injuries, fatalities and occupational diseases. For these reasons, the forestry profession is considered unattractive, and the job of a forestry worker undesirable. All of this makes finding the people interested in these jobs very difficult, and the task of ensuring the necessary workforce for all regular activities in sustainable forest management becomes very hard. In this paper, based on the surveys carried out in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FB&H), i.e. evaluation of forestry workforce sustainability factors, and on the study of available strategic documents, policies and case studies, strategic directions aimed at strengthening the sustainability of forestry workforce were elaborated. The sustainability factors were observed in three categories related to: a) stronger recruiting in forestry, b) more successful retention of forestry workers, and c) higher work commitment of forestry workers. Established rankings, together with other findings, were used to define four separate strategic directions: (1) Direct financial strategy, which emphasizes direct monetary payments to workers and is oriented towards labor productivity, (2) Indirect financial strategy, which focuses more on providing indirect material gains to workers and the quality of performed work, (3) Educational strategy, aimed at the education and training of workers, and (4) Technical-technological strategy, aimed at increasing the mechanization in forest operations thus reducing the demand for labor. The paper elaborates the basic starting points and main characteristics (priorities, measures and activities, stakeholders, responsible authorities, etc.) of each strategic direction considering the possibility and conditions of their implementation in national forestry sector. The objective of the paper is to raise the required awareness of the forestry workforce issues, its position and status, and also to provide foundations for enhancing the attractiveness of forestry work and improving the overall sustainability of the forestry workforce. The results of the study point out the critical issues and provide valuable insights that can help in formulating effective policies and strategies for the future.

The substitution of petrol-powered chainsaws with battery-powered ones has still not taken place in professional forestry. With the latest battery-powered chainsaws, performance is not an issue anymore, but energy storage and recharging still are. Nevertheless, there are some ergonomic points where battery-powered chainsaws tower over petrol-powered ones. This work aims to measure, evaluate, and compare hand-arm vibration between two comparable chainsaws, one petrol, and the other battery-powered. Stihl MS 261 C-M and Stihl MSA 300 C were chosen for this task. The cutting measurement was performed on a wet trunk of sessile oak (Quercus petraea) with a diameter of 30 cm, and on thinner branches (<7 cm) in the canopy at the same felled tree. Time data that represents the ratio of chainsaw handling elements within effective working time in cutting and processing was obtained from previous research. Vibration magnitude was measured in compliance with ISO 8041-1:2017, ISO 5349-1:2001, and ISO 5349-2:2001 standards. The results regarding vibration total value (ahv), daily vibration exposure (A(8)), and time to reach exposure action value (EAV) and exposure limit value (ELV) proposed by EU Directive 2002/44/EC imply higher magnitudes on the rear handle and higher exposure of the right hand for both types of chainsaws. For petrol-powered chainsaw, results for measured vibration magnitude are 4.13 m/s2 for the left hand, 4.72 m/s2 for the right hand, and for battery-powered chainsaw 2.18 m/s2 for the left hand, and 2.82 m/s2 for the right hand. Daily vibration exposure is drastically lower when using a battery-powered chainsaw (A(8)=1.2 m/s2 – left, A(8)=1.5 m/s2 – right), likewise, the time to reach EAV and ELV is many times longer. The current state legislative restriction (Ordinance on Occupational Safety and Health in Forestry 1986) should be revised with the aim of increasing the effective working time because, according to the results of this work, it would be justified.

The substitution of petrol-powered chainsaws with battery-powered ones has still not taken place in professional forestry. With the latest battery-powered chainsaws, performance is not an issue anymore, but energy storage and recharging still are. Nevertheless, there are some ergonomic points where battery-powered chainsaws tower over petrol-powered ones. This work aims to measure, evaluate, and compare hand-arm vibration between two comparable chainsaws, one petrol, and the other battery-powered. Stihl MS 261 C-M and Stihl MSA 300 C were chosen for this task. The cutting measurement was performed on a wet trunk of sessile oak (Quercus petraea) with a diameter of 30 cm, and on thinner branches (<7 cm) in the canopy at the same felled tree. Time data that represents the ratio of chainsaw handling elements within effective working time in cutting and processing was obtained from previous research. Vibration magnitude was measured in compliance with ISO 8041-1:2017, ISO 5349-1:2001, and ISO 5349-2:2001 standards. The results regarding vibration total value (ahv), daily vibration exposure (A(8)), and time to reach exposure action value (EAV) and exposure limit value (ELV) proposed by EU Directive 2002/44/EC imply higher magnitudes on the rear handle and higher exposure of the right hand for both types of chainsaws. For petrol-powered chainsaw, results for measured vibration magnitude are 4.13 m/s2 for the left hand, 4.72 m/s2 for the right hand, and for battery-powered chainsaw 2.18 m/s2 for the left hand, and 2.82 m/s2 for the right hand. Daily vibration exposure is drastically lower when using a battery-powered chainsaw (A(8)=1.2 m/s2 – left, A(8)=1.5 m/s2 – right), likewise, the time to reach EAV and ELV is many times longer. The current state legislative restriction (Ordinance on Occupational Safety and Health in Forestry 1986) should be revised with the aim of increasing the effective working time because, according to the results of this work, it would be justified.