Hancock Forest Management in New Zealand calls on forestry contractors to aim for 'zero harm' in workplace, concerned over forestry industry's ninth death this year

Wendy Lisney

LOS ANGELES , December 3, 2013 (Industry Intelligence) – Hancock Forest Management (New Zealand) Ltd., the country’s largest forest management company, has urged its forestry contractors to set a goal of reaching zero harm in the workplace, after New Zealand’s ninth forestry related death this year, Radio New Zealand reported on Dec. 2.

As reported separately by Industry Intelligence on Dec. 2, two forestry workers were killed while working in Nelson and the central North Island last week, taking the industry's 2013 death toll to nine.

The two industry deaths reported in the past week had nothing directly to do with Hancock, but the company—a subsidiary of Boston-based Hancock Timber Resource Group—says it’s an industry-wide issue that needs a concerted industry effort.

The company’s General Manager Bill McCallum said in a statement that everyone in the industry can play a role in helping to minimize safety concerns.

The company called a meeting in Tokoroa on Monday for its own contractors, urging the 80 people who attended to make an effort to reach the zero harm goal by following health and safety guidelines.

Hancock Forest Management acknowledges the difficulty of reaching the zero harm goal in an industry that processes 25 million tonnes of wood annually, but believes setting a high standard is part of its responsibility of improving safety.

The primary source of this article is Radio New Zealand, Wellington, New Zealand, on Dec. 2, 2013.

* All content is copyrighted by Industry Intelligence, or the original respective author or source. You may not recirculate, redistrubte or publish the analysis and presentation included in the service without Industry Intelligence's prior written consent. Please review our terms of use.