Field Classes
Field Classes Plan for the academic year 2018/19
Safety instructions for the execution of student field classes and field practice in the forest and on the forest working sites
General Obligations
- A course coordinator is required to appoint a person responsible for the safety of students in the field classes (FC)/ field practice (FP) among those teachers or associates of the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology who will attend the FC/FP on a specified date. The same must be submitted in writing to the Head of Institute, specified for each day of the FC/FP.
- A course coordinator is required to send a written notice to the host (supposedly “Hrvatske šume”d.o.o./”Croatian Forests”Ltd.) – abbreviation HŠ/CF) about the content and character of the FC and to assign the responsible person to coordinate safety activities with the HŠ/CF officer authorized for the safety at work and responsible for the forest working site where the FC shall be held.
- the responsible person shall take into account that the organization and implementation of safety at work on the forest working sites of HŠ/CF is covered by the provisions of the Safety Regulations in the Workplace at HŠ d.o.o./CF Ltd, (effective since 05. 12. 2009) and is required to inquire about the established safety system on the performance location of the FC and to plan and organize the safety of students accordingly.
- All participants in FC/FP (students, teachers, associates) are obliged to wear a protective helmet (industrial safety helmet complying with the requirements of HRN EN 397:2012) during their stay in the forest and on the forest working sites, on the places of existing danger of falling objects (tree branches) from heights.
- When the FC/FP are being held in the forest areas/on the forest land clear of an imminent danger of falling branches from the surrounding trees (e.g. in plant nurseries, on forest glades, clearings, meadows, etc.), the FC/FP coordinator shall estimate the necessity of exercising or refraining from the use of a protective helmet.)
- All the participants in the FC are required to wear a reflective high visibility vest (EN 471 class 1, revised in EN ISO 20471:2013) during the FC of operative character (as classes that include a stay on the forest working sites with direct mechanical type of works such as felling, processing, wood skidding, construction and maintenance of forest roads, loading, unloading and transportation of wood, chipping, mechanized silvicultural work etc); the class coordinator shall decide upon the character of FC and upon the use of the reflective high visibility vest.
- By the decision of the Faculty Council it is suggested to oblige all the students to buy a protective helmet and a reflective high visibility vest for personal use.
Previous Classroom Activities
- During the lectures and practical teaching prior to FC/FP, teachers/associates are required to instruct students on the specific hazards and risks in the areas of existing danger of falling objects from a height (tree branches), especially on the forest working sites, and to introduce students with the procedures in case of imminent danger or injury; in particular a special emphasis has to be placed on the sources of danger of mechanical type (uneven, abrupt, slippery, congested and overgrown terrain, covered holes, sudden obstacles and other dry branches in the foreground, stuck trees, tapered branches, dry or rotten trees); of biological type (hornet, ticks, snakes etc); of chemical type (insecticides, pesticides, etc. in areas/places of immediate use).
- Warn against the specific hazards and risks associated with the FC/FP on courses related to game hunting, road construction etc.
- Oblige students to attend lessons of FC/FP in appropriate clothing and footwear and to use the personal protective equipment, as well as suggest, when needed, the use of repellents for protection against the insects and sunscreen products with UV-absorbers.
Previous Field Activities (before entering the forest / forest working site)
- Teachers/associates are required to provide students with clear verbal instructions on the general and particular hazards and on the procedures in case of imminent danger or injury; all the students regardless of the group schedule and special assignments during the FC/FP have to be provided with the instructions.
- to order wearing of the protective helmet and reflective high visibility vest (during the operational FC) for the entire duration of the stay in the forest and on the forest working sites due to existing risk of falling objects from a height (tree branches).
- to ban the use of mobile devices during the FC/FP, except in case of a necessary communication with teachers/associates regarding the performance of FC/FP and in case of imminent danger or injury.
Activities during the FC/FP
- the responsible person must observe compliance with all safety instructions and rules; if necessary, he/she is obliged to apply warning and caution measures as well as removal order from FC/ FP.