How to notify us over the holiday period.
Notifications
If someone has been seriously injured, become seriously ill, or died as a result of work – phone us on 0800 030 040 straight away. We have staff available to respond to these 24/7.
If you’re not sure what a notifiable event is, including your obligation to hold a scene, visit What events need to be notified?
Notifications made through our online form won't be monitored between 12pm on Tuesday 24 December 2024 and 8.30am on Monday 6 January 2025.
If you’re not sure if you need to notify us, use our online notification system and we’ll respond to you after 6 January 2025.
Health and safety concerns
If you have a health and safety concern that isn’t urgent, use our online form and we’ll respond to you after 6 January 2025.
Raise a health or safety concern
General enquiries
General enquiries made by phone or email after 12pm on Tuesday 24 December will be responded to from Monday 6 January 2025. This does not apply to notifications made by phone on 0800 030 040.
We wish you a safe and relaxing holiday.
A 21-year-old tree faller suffered serious injuries when he was struck by a log sliding down a hill.
Circumstances
The tree faller was cutting old crop radiata pine in a clear fell operation.
He felled a large tree in the direction of its lean, which was angled uphill across a ridge. As the tree fell, he moved down and across, below the falling tree, which broke across the ridge on impact. The butt log, which was 23 m in length and 3 m around the girth, swung sideways and slid 11m down the hill striking the faller and crushing him against other logs.
![[image] Shows the angle of the log as it slid down the hill](/assets/Industry/Forestry/tree-faller-chooses-the-wrong-escape-route.png)
Investigation
The investigation determined that the tree faller chose to use an escape route on the downhill side of the tree being felled.
WorkSafe New Zealand advice
- Whenever possible, trees should be felled across a hillside rather than uphill
- Clear a sufficient area around the tree and prepare an adequate escape route before starting the felling cuts
- Never use an escape route on the downhill side of the tree being felled.
Published: October 2010. Updated August 2017.
While this bulletin has not been updated to reflect current work health and safety legislation (the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and regulations), it may still contain relevant information and practices to keep workers and others healthy and safe. Please read this guidance in conjunction with all relevant industry standards that apply to you as a PCBU. This guidance will be progressively reviewed and either updated, replaced with other guidance, or revoked.
Media contact details
For more information you can contact our Media Team using our media request form. Alternatively, you can:
Phone: 021 823 007 or
Email: media@worksafe.govt.nz
Last updated