This Best Practice Guide being reviewed.
is
e The future of Best Practic Guides will be decided during 2015.
Best practice guidelines for
Mobile Plant
Vision,knowledge,performance
competenz.org.nz
He Mihi
Nga pakiaka ki te Rawhiti.
Roots to the East.
Nga pakiaka ki te Raki.
Roots to the North.
Nga pakiaka ki te Uru.
Roots to the West.
Nga pakiaka ki te Tonga.
Roots to the South.
Nau mai, Haere mai
We greet you and welcome you.
~ ki te Waonui o Tane
To the forest world of Tane.
Whaia te huarahi,
Pursue the path,
o te Aka Matua,
of the climbing vine,
i runga, I te poutama
on the stairway,
~ o te matauranga.
of learning.
Kia rongo ai koe
So that you will feel,
~ te mahana o te rangimarie.
the inner warmth of peace.
Ka kaha ai koe,
Then you will be able,
~ ki te tu whakaiti,
to stand humbler,
~
~ ki te tu whakahi.
Yet stand proud.
~ Kia Kaha, kia manawanui
Be strong, be steadfast.
Tena koutou katoa.
First edition December 2000 Revised edition January 2005 These Best Practice Guidelines are to be used as a guide to the operation of mobile plant. They do not supersede legislation in any jurisdiction or the recommendations of equipment manufacturers. FITEC believes that the information in the guideline is accurate and reliable; however, FITEC notes that conditions vary greatly from one geographical area to another; that a greater variety of equipment and techniques are currently in use; and other (or additional) measures may be appropriate in a given situation.
Other Best Practice Guidelines included in the series: •
Cable Logging
•
Chainsaw Use
•
Fire Fighting and Controlled Burnoffs
•
Ground-based Logging
•
Land Preparation
•
Loading
•
Maintenance inspections of Yarder Towers
•
Manual Log-making
•
Mechanised Harvesting and Processing
•
Personal Protective Equipment
•
Road and Landing Construction
•
Silvicultural Pruning
•
Transport
•
Tree Felling
•
Tree Planting
•
Working with Helicopters
© Copyright 2000, FITEC, New Zealand ISBN 0-9582261-1-3
Best Practice Guidelines for Mobile Plant
Contents Introduction Purpose of these guidelines How to use these guidelines Acknowledgements About Best Practice Training material
Mobile plant basics
1 1 1 2 2
3
Types of mobile plant Wheeled skidders Tracked skidders Excavator-based machines Mechanised Harvesters Forwarders Wheeled loaders Bell loaders All terrain vehicles (ATV) Power-operated work platforms
3 3 4 6 8 9 10 11 12 13
Safety requirements Rollover protection (ROPS) Operator protection on steep or unstable terrain (excavators) (COPS) Falling object protection (FOPS) Operator protection from objects entering the cab (OPS) Seat belts Night work High structures Brakes Other parts of machines Noise
13 13 14 14 14 15 15 15 15 15 15
Ergonomic issues Training and supervision Knowledge of hazards Health hazards Operational hazards Personal protective equipment (PPE)
15 16 16 16 18 23
Mobile plant procedures
24
Before using mobile plant
24
Wheeled skidders Before start-up Start up After starting the engine Before operating the machine Machine operation Shut down
24 24 25 25 25 26 26
Tracked skidders Before start-up Start up After starting the engine Before operating the machine Machine operation Shut down
26 26 27 27 28 28 28
Excavator-based machines Before start-up Start up After starting the engine Before operating the machine Machine operation Shut down
29 29 29 30 30 30 31
Mechanised harvesters Before start-up Start up After starting the engine Before operating the machine Machine operation Shut down
31 31 32 32 32 33 33
Forwarders Before start-up Start up After starting the engine Shut down
33 34 34 35 35
Wheeled loaders Before start-up Start up After starting the engine Shut down
35 35 36 36 37
Bell loaders Before start-up Start up After starting the engine Shut down
37 37 38 38 38
Power operated work platforms Before start-up Parking Start up Machine operation Shut down or stowing
39 39 39 39 39 40
Maintenance Pre-start and maintenance (everyday, or before each shift) Daily maintenance and checks (8hr) Periodic maintenance (e.g., 50hr) Storage, handling and filling procedures for fuels and oils
41 41 41 41 42
Glossary of terms
43
Index to unit standards
45
Introduction Purpose of these guidelines The Best Practice Guidelines for Mobile Plant have been designed by FITEC in conjunction with the forest industry to improve worker safety and performance. They combine industry training standards and best practice information to provide a valuable reference manual for operators of mobile plant. These guidelines focus on general mobile plant features and operating procedures. For a more detailed explanation of the use of mobile plant refer to separate Best Practice Guidelines for •
Road and landing construction
•
Land preparation
•
Tree felling
•
Ground-based logging
•
Loading.
These guidelines should be read in conjunction with the: •
Approved Code of Practice Safety and Health in Forest Operations. In particular, these guidelines provide direct support for Part 3 - Section 4 (Mobile Plant and Machinery) of the code.
•
Approved Code of Practice for Operator Protective Structures on Self-propelled Mobile Mechanical Plant.
They are a valuable reference document for the following Unit Standards registered on the NZQA framework:
Unit 6928 - Operate a Bell machine in a forestry situation Unit 6929 - Operate a knuckle boom loader in a forestry situation Unit 6930 - Operate a forked loader in a forestry situation Unit 6934 - Operate a skidder in a forestry situation Unit 6935 - Operate an excavator type tracked machine in a forestry situation Unit 6936 - Operate a tracked machine in a forestry situation Unit 6937 - Extract logs to a landing Unit 6938 - Operate an extraction machine in a forestry production situation Unit 6942 - Operate a forestry mechanised harvesting machine Unit 6946 - Extract tree lengths using a forwarder
How to use these guidelines These guidelines have been arranged in two main sections: •
Mobile Plant Basics - provides information on the types and features of mobile plant.
•
Mobile Plant Procedures - describes specific operations commonly performed by machine operators. These are presented in sub-sections specific to the machine type.
The Glossary of Terms gives the meaning of terms used throughout these guidelines. The Index to Unit Standards allows the reader to locate information specific to each of the Unit Standards listed above.
Introduction
1
Acknowledgements FITEC acknowledges the assistance of the Occupational Safety and Health and Service, Liro Forestry Solutions, and numerous forest industry trainers, forestry contractors, and forest company staff in the development of these Best Practice Guidelines.
About best practice training material FITEC has developed the material in this publication. It has been reviewed by representatives of the forest industry. At the time of publication, FITEC considers the practices and approaches in this publication to exceed accepted industry standards with regard to production and business management. In addition, the practices recommended in the publication exceed all the New Zealand regulatory standards, in particular those related to health and safety, environmental management, and human resources / employment. This material is reviewed and reprinted regularly by FITEC.
2
Introduction
Mobile plant basics Types of mobile plant The main types of mobile plant used in the forest industry are: •
Wheeled skidders
•
Tracked skidders
•
Excavator-based machines
•
Mechanised harvesters
•
Forwarders
•
Wheeled loaders
•
Bell loaders
•
All terrain vehicles
•
Power-operated work platforms
The following sections describe the features of each of these.
Wheeled skidders Description •
Wheeled skidders are articulated four-wheel drive machines. Their main use is for wood extraction, from the felling site to the landing. They are used widely in production thinning (tree size 0.2 to 0.5 tonnes) and clearfell (tree size 1.2 to 2.5 tonnes) operations. In clearfell operations, load sizes can average 5 to 7 tonnes.
•
Wheeled skidders may be fitted with wider types of dual rear wheels to reduce ground pressure and increase stability.
A wheeled skidder with 109 cm tyres for operation on wet sites
•
The Approved Code of Practice for Safety and Health in Forest Operations states that as a guide, wheeled skidders should not operate on slopes exceeding 18° (30%) unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer. Where weather or ground conditions affect machine stability, the maximum operating slope will be actually less than this.
•
Skidders are classed as either cable or grapple machines.
•
Cable skidders employ a winch, wire rope (generally 25 to 30 m long), and strops to attach and move felled trees. Safety cab
Exhaust Air cleaner
Fairlead
Motor
Winch
Blade
Butt pan
Pivot Components of a cable wheeled skidder
Mobile plant basics
3
•
Grapple skidders use a large hanging grapple (conventional or swing-boom) to grab the felled trees.
Hydraulic cylinder
Rotator
Grapple
Components of a grapple wheeled skidder
•
There is a range of wheeled skidder sizes. They are classified by the output of the engine. Skidder size
Engine power output (kW)
Examples
Optimum load size (tonnes, level terrain)
Small
76-105
John Deere 540G Ranger F65 Timberjack 360
3-5
Medium
106-135
Caterpillar 525C Timberjack 460 Ranger H67 John Deere 640G
5-7
Large
136+
Caterpillar 545 John Deere 748G Timberjack 560
7-8
Safety features •
Wheeled skidders shall have a certified Falling Object Protection Structure (FOPS), an Operator Protection Structure (OPS), and a Roll Over Protection Structure (ROPS).
•
A seat belt shall be fitted and worn when the machine is being operated.
Tracked skidders Description •
There are two types of tracked skidder: Conventional tracked skidders (earthmoving or modified bulldozers) that have a rigid track frame. Flexible track skidders with suspension to allow the track to conform to the shape of the ground. These are specialist machines, designed to operate on wet and/or weak soils.
•
Conventional tracked skidders are used widely in production thinning and clearfell operations. In clearfell operations, load sizes can average 6 to 9 tonnes.
•
They can have a lengthened track frame or wider tracks to reduce ground pressure and increase stability.
4
Mobile plant basics
Safety cab Exhaust Air cleaner Drive sprocket Motor Fairlead roller Blade Winch Track rollers
Track frame
Front idler
Components of a cable tracked skidder
Hydraulic cylinders
Rotator
Grapple
Components of a grapple tracked skidder
Safety cab Fairlead
Motor
Exhaust
Blade
Choker arch
Drive sprocket Track
Rear idler Road wheel Components of a flexible tracked skidder Mobile plant basics
5
Tracked skidders cont... •
The Approved Code of Practice for Safety and Health in Forest Operations states that tracked skidders should not operate on slopes that exceed 22° (40%) unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer. Where weather or ground conditions adversely affect machine stability, the maximum slope will be actually less than this.
•
Tracked skidders are equipped with winches, ropes and strops, or a grapple (similar to wheeled skidders).
•
Tracked skidders manoeuvre by altering the speed or direction of the two tracks. This allows them to turn within their own length.
•
A conventional tractor may tow a two-wheeled arch to provide lift for the front of the load and reduce load friction. This enables larger loads to be carried.
•
Tracked skidders can be classified into four classes according to engine power output. Tractor size
Engine power output (kW)
Examples
Estimates of optimum load size (tonnes, level terrain, no arch)
Small
50-74
John Deere 450G Komatsu D37E-5 Caterpillar D3C
3-4
Small-medium
75-100
Caterpillar D5M Komatsu D53A-7
4-6
Medium
101-130
John Deere 750C Caterpillar D6M Caterpillar 527
6-8
Large
131+
Caterpillar D7R Komatsu D65EX-12 Komatsu D85E-21 KMC 2400 CA
7-9
Safety features •
Tracked skidders shall have a certified FOPS, OPS, ROPS.
•
A seat belt shall be fitted and worn when the machine is being operated.
Excavator-based machines Description •
An excavator comprises a tracked undercarriage and a continuous rotating upper body with a hydraulically operated boom.
•
Excavators can be fitted with a range of boom attachments according to the activity being undertaken.
Activity
6
Attachment
Earthworks
Bucket, ripping tine
Land preparation
Rake, bucket, ripper-mounder, mulcher, cultivator, winch set
Mechanical felling
Felling/processing head
Bunching or extraction
Grapple
Processing
Grapple, felling/processing head
Sorting, fleeting, and loading
Grapple
Mobile plant basics
Outer boom (stick)
Outer boom cylinder
Rotator Main boom (dipper arm) Protected cab
Counterweight
Main boom cylinder
Grapple
Turntable Track
Excavator components
•
Two boom configurations are available. On the conventional boom, the stick is operated by a hydraulic ram fixed to the top side of the dipper arm. This configuration is designed for pulling a bucket (or similar) towards the excavator during digging. The logging boom is designed for lifting heavy weights. The hydraulic ram operating the stick is fixed to the bottom side of the dipper arm.
•
Excavators may have a lengthened track frame or wider tracks to reduce ground pressure and increase stability.
•
The Approved Code of Practice for Safety and Health in Forest Operations states that as a guide, excavators should not operate on slopes that exceed 22° (40%) unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer. Where weather or ground conditions adversely affect machine stability, the maximum slope will be actually less than this.
Conventional boom
•
Logger boom
Excavator-based machines can be divided into four classes (often the base weight of the machine will be increased considerably with the addition of guarding, strengthening, and an attachment such as a harvesting head): See table.
Mobile plant basics
7
Excavator size
Gross weight (tonnes)
Examples
Small
30
Caterpillar 330 Komatsu PC400 Hyundai 290 Kato HD1880
Safety features •
Excavators used in forestry operations shall be fitted with FOPS and OPS.
•
If operating on terrain where stability cannot be assured, the excavator shall be fitted with a certified Cabin Operator Protection Structure (COPS) to a minimum of Grade 3.
•
A seat belt shall be fitted and worn when the machine is being operated.
•
Disabling levers or switches (to be used when leaving the cab).
Mechanised harvesters Description •
Mechanised harvesters are either excavators, or custom-built (usually tracked) machines fitted with a harvester head.
•
The Approved Code of Practice for Safety and Health in Forest Operations states that as a guide, mechanised harvesters should not operate on slopes that exceed 22° (40%) unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer. Where weather or ground conditions adversely affect machine stability, the maximum slope will be actually less than this.
Main boom Outer boom
Accumulator arms
Safety cab
Motor
Boom cylinders
Turntable
Cutting unit
Track frame Components of a mechanised harvester
8
Mobile plant basics
•
The body of the harvester may be non-levelling (similar to an excavator) or levelling up to 27° forward and 20° sideways. The levelling body allows the cab and boom to be horizontal when operating on a slope.
•
The non-levelling body is capable of continuous rotation. The levelling body is generally restricted to 540° of rotation.
•
The harvester head may be able to perform a range of tasks. These include: Fell
Delimb
Process stems into logs
Bunch or shovel stems or logs
•
The head is a hydraulically powered attachment which may be equipped with drive rollers, delimbing grapple-type knives, and integral chainsaw, rotary saw or shears. There may be provision for a computerised measuring and log cutting (bucking) system.
•
Harvester heads come in different sizes: from thinning heads (mounted on 20 to 25 tonne base machines) to 4 tonne clearfell heads (mounted on 30 to 40 tonne base machines). Head size
Fell diameter/delimb diameter limits (cm)
Examples
Likely application
Small
55/41 60/45
Waratah HTH 20 Lako 60
Production thinning
Medium
64/14-46 69/3-50
Waratah HTH 22 Super Logmax GM650
Production thinning/ Small clearfell
Large
76/20-66 75/10-75
Waratah HTH26 AFM Magnum
Clearfell
Safety features •
All mechanised harvesters shall be equipped with certified FOPS, COPS and OPS.
•
A seat belt shall be fitted and worn when the machine is being operated.
•
Immobilising levers and switches will be fitted and used to avoid accidental start-up of the machine during maintenance or repair.
Forwarders Description •
Forwarders are articulated four, six or eight wheel drive machines with a knuckle-boom crane designed primarily for the transport or extraction of logs 3 to 6 m in length.
•
They range from the more basic converted skidder designs to sophisticated purpose-built machines.
•
Forwarders can be fitted with wider tyres or band tracks to reduce ground pressures and increase stability.
•
The Approved Code of Practice for Safety and Health in Forest Operations states that as a guide forwarders should not operate on slopes that exceed 18° (30%) unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer. Where weather or ground conditions adversely affect machine stability, the maximum slope will be actually less than this.
•
Forwarder load size typically ranges from 14 to 18 tonnes.
Mobile plant basics
A forwarder with band tracks fitted to the rear bogies
9
Outer boom Main boom Rotator
Grapple
Protected cab Exhaust
Gate
Pedestal
Slew mechanism
Staunchions
Motor
Rear Bogie
Pivot Steering cylinder
Walking beam
Forwarder components
Forwarder size
Optimum load size (tonnes)
Examples
Medium
14
Timberjack 1410 Valmet 860
Large
18
Timberjack 1710 Valmet 890
Safety features •
Forwarders shall have a certified FOPS, OPS, and ROPS.
•
A seat belt shall be fitted and worn when the machine is being operated.
Wheeled loaders Description •
Wheeled loaders used in forestry are articulated four-wheel drive machines fitted with loading forks (or a bucket for earthworks).
•
They are designed to handle stems and logs during sorting, fleeting, loading and unloading operations.
•
Wheeled loaders are designed to operate on formed roads, landings, log yards and wharves. In these situations, operating slopes are minimal.
•
Wheeled loaders are classified according to engine power output. Loader size
Gross engine power output (kW)
Examples
Application
Light
66-100
Cat 914, Volvo L70 Cat 928, Komatsu WA180
Thinning and small clearfell operations
Medium
101-120
Cat 938, Komatsu WA320 Volvo L90
Small to medium clearfell operations
Heavy
121-200
Cat 950, Volvo L120 Komatsu WA380
Larger clearfell , some log yard use
10
Mobile plant basics
Clamp arm
Fork cylinder Loading fork
Safety operators cab Exhaust Lifting arm
Motor
Pivot Wheeled loader components
Safety features •
Wheeled loaders normally operate on level ground. Although legally exempt, forest owner policy may require a certified ROPS be fitted. A seatbelt shall be fitted and worn while the machine is operated.
•
Wheeled loaders shall be equipped with a certified FOPS and OPS.
•
Notwithstanding the legal requirement for a seat belt with ROPS, it is best practice to ensure that a seat belt is fitted and worn.
Bell loaders Description •
Bell loaders are small (