Coroner's Finding: Penney, Raymond
Deceased
Raymond Ross Penney
Demographics
64y, male
Date of death
2021-08-27
Finding date
2025-07-14
Cause of death
chest and abdominal injuries due to being crushed by a regrowth tree
AI-generated summary
Raymond Penney, 64, died when struck by a regrowth tree during mechanical felling operations in a commercial forestry coupe. The old growth tree (68m, 50-60 tonnes) was being felled using excavator-assisted mechanical pushing after failed attempts. When it fell, it brought down the regrowth tree located 2 metres away in a machinery exclusion zone. Penney exited his excavator cabin (despite warnings) and was crushed. Key preventable factors included: absence of a qualified manual tree feller to assess the old growth tree; failure to identify or manage the regrowth tree as a hazard before felling commenced; use of machinery outside manufacturer specifications; misunderstanding of environmental restrictions overriding safety; and inadequate risk assessment documentation. A qualified manual feller would have assessed the tree's resistance to mechanical felling, potentially mandating alternative methods, and could have removed the regrowth tree from the exclusion zone. The coroner found multiple system failures in forestry contractor management, safety planning, and regulation.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Specialties
Error types
Contributing factors
- absence of qualified manual tree feller on site
- failure to assess regrowth tree as hazard before mechanical felling commenced
- inadequate risk assessment and documentation in forest operations safety plan
- use of machinery outside manufacturer specifications
- misconception that environmental exclusion zone prevented felling of regrowth tree
- weakening of old growth tree through repeated failed mechanical pushing attempts
- operator exiting cabin protection despite warnings
- lack of clear procedures for hazardous tree removal in safety planning
- inadequate contractor supervision and monitoring by STT
- conflicting priorities between environmental protection and worker safety
Coroner's recommendations
- STT continue to promote health and safety by ensuring FOS appropriately identifies hazardous trees and provides for appropriate control measures including engagement and assessment by qualified manual tree fellers
- Consideration be given to merging Forestry Safety and Practices Codes with clear directions regarding: procedures for hazardous trees; circumstances in which mechanical felling is not to be used; process for resolving immediate safety threats versus environmental restrictions
- Voss ensure work policies, practices and FOS include: specific risk assessments on hazardous trees documented; qualified manual feller onsite or readily available; qualified manual feller assess all hazardous and surrounding trees as to method of removal
- All forestry workers be given practical demonstration of effectiveness of operator cabin protection systems for overhead falling objects and clearly warned to stay within cabin if in proximity of falling tree
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