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to the exhaust (30 cm) for a short period of time. Chainsaw operators do not have special personal protective equipment to prevent momentary exposure to carbon monoxide during forestry work. Therefore, it is appropriate to increase the level of knowledge of chainsaw operators about CO and other gasses exposure (Taº and Akay, 2022).
Environmental factors (such as temperature, humidity and wind) have an effect on the concentration of harmful gases emitted from the exhaust (Hooper et al. 2017; Dimou et al. 2019). Tight enclosure in the forest or weather conditions that limit the operator’s work area will further increase the amount of short-term CO exposure (Nilsson et al. 1987; Bünger et al. 1997). It has been observed that the wind direction in the study area is not constant, and wind from different directions can affect the flow direction in the air and the gas released from the exhaust (Figure 4). Therefore, chainsaw operators are necessary to pay attention to the working position and the wind direction to reduce the CO exposure. Using a carburetor suitable for the chainsaw and always cleaning the air filter will reduce CO exposure (Wójcik and Skar¿yñski 2006). Considering that the production technology of the chainsaw used in this study is relatively old, compared with the chainsaw of the new technology, it may generate a lot of harmful gas emissions. However, chainsaws with new engine technology, engine maintenance and the type of fuel used are effective against increasing of harmful gases emitted by exhaust gas (Neri et al. 2016; Calcante et al. 2018).
Due to the use of a low-cost CO meter that performs integer measurements, precise decimal-level measurements could not be made at this study. Besides, it should be taken into account that the absence of chainsaw guide bars and cutting chains in the design of this study would have an impact on the results. In forest conditions, using a more professional gas meter would increase the budget of research. However, multi-dimensional analysis can also be performed by obtaining real-time data on environmental factors such as relative humidity, wind speed, and wind directions as well as CO measurement. Considering the data obtained from this study, the emission of CO from the exhaust of an idling two-stroke engine chainsaw is high enough to affect the health of operator.
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
ZAKLJUÈAK I PRIJEDLOZI
During the timber production work, the chainsaw operator should not approach the idling chainsaw up to a distance of 30 cm and 20 cm in a way that it enters the personal breathing zone. The CO exposure generated by the chainsaw under idling (1900 to 2200 rpm) reaches a high value in a short time. When cutting the trees or stopping for more than 10 seconds for control purposes, the operator must not approach the idling chainsaw in a way that it enters the personal breathing zone. Otherwise, the operator may be exposed to high CO for a short period of time. The chainsaw operator, who works very close to the chainsaw, is exposed to an average CO of 1683.04±5% ppm at a 0 cm distance, 343.58±5% ppm at a 10 cm distance, 252.34±5% at a 20 cm distance, and 86.49±5% ppm at a 30 cm distance. CO exposure decreases with increasing distance from the chainsaw. Analysis of variance, correlation analysis and homogeneity analysis were found to be statistically significant (p<0.05).
Evaluating air flow direction as a guiding factor for the work environment will be a preventive factor for immediate high-value CO exposure. If the operator of the chainsaw cannot be prevented from being as far as 30 cm from the chainsaw, it is absolutely necessary to wear a special mask (personal protective equipment) to prevent from the CO gas. If it is not possible to wear a mask, at least two operators should be employed alternately during working hours. If there is only one chainsaw operator in the work environment, the frequency of breaks should be increased. In addition, not only education but also research on other energy types should be promoted, which will replace fossil-based fuels as fuel for two-stroke engines. By accounting for the CO emissions, it will be possible to contribute to health and safety of operators, while increasing the efficiency of production.
Acknowledgements
Priznanja
Authors would like to thank Forest Engineer İsmail K. Acembekiroğlu for his help in field work. The authors also wish to thank anonymous reviewers for their suggestions and comments, which led to an improved manuscript.
REFERENCES
LITERATURA
Acar, H.H., K. Üçüncü, 2020: ݺ sağlığı ve güvenliği. Nobel Tıp Kitabevi (In Turkish), 486 p. İstanbul, Turkey.
Acar, H.H., N. ªentük, 1999: An investigation on forest workers’ health in Artvin regional forest (Artvin yöresindeki orman iºçilerinde iºçi sağlığı üzerine bir araºtırma). Journal of the Faculty of Forestry Istanbul University, 49: 25–39.
Akay, A. E., H.H. Acar, B. Kalkan, 2022: Using GIS techniques for modeling of anthropogenic noise propagation generated by a chainsaw in forest harvesting. Šumarski list, 146(7-8), 333-344.
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Bünger, J., F. Bombosch, U. Mesecke, E. Hallier, 1997: Monitoring and analysis of occupational exposure to chainsaw exhausts. American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal, 58: 747–751.