A simulation study of noise exposure in sledge-based cable yarding operations

cris.virtual.author-orcid0000-0003-3060-4422
cris.virtual.author-orcid0000-0002-9437-8439
cris.virtual.author-orcid#PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE#
cris.virtualsource.author-orcid620a47cb-81f7-4a75-9b68-28f17eef1f9e
cris.virtualsource.author-orcid798b10d2-ed0b-4432-9791-6eb2601ab8f9
cris.virtualsource.author-orcid#PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE#
dc.abstract.enEnsuring the safety of forestry workers is a key challenge, particularly when working with partly mechanized harvesting systems. Cable yarding is typically used in steep terrain timber harvesting. For long-distance extraction, one of the few alternatives is to use sledge yarders, but these machines may expose workers to high doses of noise. The goal of this study was to model haulers’ exposure to noise in sledge-based cable yarding operations, based on a simulation approach that considered variable factors such as the yarding distance, lateral yarding distance, and average skyline height. Taken into consideration were 165 scenarios developed by examining the variation in yarding distance (500 to 1500 m, with a step of 100 m), lateral yarding distance (10 to 50 m, with a step of 10 m), and average skyline height above the ground (10, 15, and 20 m). The simulations assumed an 8-h working day with a break of 1 h. The models and statistics published by other studies were used to calculate the time consumption and number of work cycles completed within a working day. These data were used to compute the equivalent exposure to noise (LAeq) for each scenario, as well as for those work elements that were likely to expose the haulers to noise the most. The presented findings indicated that (i) the exposure to noise was higher than 100 dB(A), irrespective of variation in the considered factors; (ii) the trend in exposure was characterized by polynomials in relation to the extraction distance, and the magnitude of exposure was consistently affected by variation in the considered factors; and (iii) without hearing protection, the empty and loaded turns exposed workers to noise over the permissible limits. These findings strongly suggest the use of hearing protection when working in close proximity to sledge-based cable yarding operations. The methods proposed in this study in the form of simulation may help benchmark other forest operations.
dc.affiliationWydział Leśny i Technologii Drewna
dc.affiliation.instituteKatedra UĹĽytkowania Lasu
dc.contributor.authorBorz, Stelian Alexandru
dc.contributor.authorMederski, Piotr
dc.contributor.authorBembenek, Mariusz
dc.date.access2025-05-05
dc.date.accessioned2025-07-25T11:02:43Z
dc.date.available2025-07-25T11:02:43Z
dc.date.copyright2024-02-13
dc.date.issued2024
dc.description.abstract<jats:p>Ensuring the safety of forestry workers is a key challenge, particularly when working with partly mechanized harvesting systems. Cable yarding is typically used in steep terrain timber harvesting. For long-distance extraction, one of the few alternatives is to use sledge yarders, but these machines may expose workers to high doses of noise. The goal of this study was to model haulers’ exposure to noise in sledge-based cable yarding operations, based on a simulation approach that considered variable factors such as the yarding distance, lateral yarding distance, and average skyline height. Taken into consideration were 165 scenarios developed by examining the variation in yarding distance (500 to 1500 m, with a step of 100 m), lateral yarding distance (10 to 50 m, with a step of 10 m), and average skyline height above the ground (10, 15, and 20 m). The simulations assumed an 8-h working day with a break of 1 h. The models and statistics published by other studies were used to calculate the time consumption and number of work cycles completed within a working day. These data were used to compute the equivalent exposure to noise (LAeq) for each scenario, as well as for those work elements that were likely to expose the haulers to noise the most. The presented findings indicated that (i) the exposure to noise was higher than 100 dB(A), irrespective of variation in the considered factors; (ii) the trend in exposure was characterized by polynomials in relation to the extraction distance, and the magnitude of exposure was consistently affected by variation in the considered factors; and (iii) without hearing protection, the empty and loaded turns exposed workers to noise over the permissible limits. These findings strongly suggest the use of hearing protection when working in close proximity to sledge-based cable yarding operations. The methods proposed in this study in the form of simulation may help benchmark other forest operations.</jats:p>
dc.description.accesstimeat_publication
dc.description.bibliographyil., bibliogr.
dc.description.financepublication_nocost
dc.description.financecost0,00
dc.description.if2,5
dc.description.number2
dc.description.points100
dc.description.versionfinal_published
dc.description.volume15
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/f15020360
dc.identifier.issn1999-4907
dc.identifier.urihttps://sciencerep.up.poznan.pl/handle/item/3979
dc.identifier.weblinkhttps://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/2/360
dc.languageen
dc.relation.ispartofForests
dc.relation.pagesart. 360
dc.rightsCC-BY
dc.sciencecloudsend
dc.share.typeOPEN_JOURNAL
dc.subject.enhealth and safety risks
dc.subject.enpseudo-population
dc.subject.enevents
dc.subject.enexposure to noise
dc.subject.enwork cycle
dc.subject.enoperational factors
dc.subject.ensimulation
dc.titleA simulation study of noise exposure in sledge-based cable yarding operations
dc.title.volumeSpecial Issue Forest Mechanization and Harvesting—Trends and Perspectives
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.issue2
oaire.citation.volume15