Time composition, efficiency, workload, and noise exposure during tree felling and processing with petrol and battery-powered chainsaws in mixed high forest stands

Anton Poje (Author), Benjamin Lipužič (Author), Ivan Bilobrk (Author), Zdravko Pandur (Author)

Abstract

This study presents the effects of using a battery-powered chainsaw on work efficiency and ergonomics under real conditions during timber harvesting. The study was conducted during the felling and processing of coniferous and deciduous trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of 13 cm to 78 cm using both a petrol-powered and battery-powered chainsaw. The results include comparisons of time composition, work efficiency, psychophysical workload, and noise exposure. Heart rate and noise exposure were measured over ten days as part of a time study using the Husqvarna 543 XP petrol-powered chainsaw and the Husqvarna 540i HP battery-powered chainsaw. The comparison of the time composition between the chainsaws used showed 3%–4% differences in the duration of productive time operations and 16% in service time. The difference in work efficiency during the productive time between the two chainsaws was statistically insignificant, but generally higher when working with the battery-powered chainsaw than with the petrol-powered chainsaw. During the main productive time, the work efficiency was 9.89 min/t for the petrol-powered chainsaw and 9.44 min/t for the battery-powered chainsaw. The psychophysical workload of the feller was lower when using the battery-powered chainsaw than when using the petrol-powered chainsaw as the relative working heart rates during the entire productive time was 32.5% for the battery-powered chainsaw and 35.0% for the petrol-powered chainsaw. The noise exposure of the workers was lower when using a battery-powered chainsaw, namely 6.0 dB(A) and 0.4 dB(C) compared to the use of a petrol-powered chainsaw. The results of this paper indicate that battery-powered chainsaws can compete with petrol chainsaws in harvesting conditions that are currently considered unsuitable due to the large volume of trees.

Keywords

baterijske motorne žage;bencinska motorne žage;sekači;listavci;iglavci;časovne študije;srčni utrip;izpostavljenost hrupu;motor-manual work;battery-powered chainsaws;petrol-powered chainsaws;feller;deciduous trees;coniferous trees;time study;heart rate;exposure to noise;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2024
Typology:	1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization:	UL BF - Biotechnical Faculty
UDC:	630*3
COBISS:	199785987
ISSN:	1999-4907
Views:	58
Downloads:	5
Average score:	0 (0 votes)
Metadata:

Other data

Secondary language:	Slovenian
Secondary keywords:	baterijske motorne žage;bencinska motorne žage;sekači;listavci;iglavci;časovne študije;srčni utrip;izpostavljenost hrupu;
Type (COBISS):	Article
Pages:	str. 1-15
Volume:	ǂVol. ǂ15
Issue:	ǂissue ǂ5, [article no.] 798
Chronology:	2024
DOI:	doi.org/10.3390/f15050798
ID:	24473668