Forestry chiefs warn of potentially deadly 'chain shot' in Highlands' woods
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Walkers are being warned against ignoring forest safety signs to avoid 'chain shot' that could be as deadly as a bullet.
Forestry and Land Scotland has said there been a significant increase in incursions by forest visitors onto live harvesting sites — as reported by their worried staff and contractors.
They caution that work completed at their active sites includes a risk of high-speed and heavy-duty chain-drives snapping and their links –known as chain shot – flying off as far as 200 metres with the force and equivalent impact of a bullet.
FLS is urging members of the public to follow their warning and safety signage around their sites.
The public agency's managed trails in the local area include — but are not exclusive to — the Sugarbowl, Loch Morlich, and Feshiebridge.
A FLS spokesperson said: "The purpose of these signs is for people to avoid putting themselves in danger from being crushed by trees or machinery — or being 'shot' by broken chain links from chainsaws or harvesters."
FLS states that active work sites need to have large safety zones as a tree being grappled by a machine can knock over neighbouring unstable trees.
This means that an individual who is within two tree lengths of active operations could risk causing themselves serious injury.
The agency fears that if people continuing to ignore the warning and safety signage it could one day lead to someone being seriously hurt or even killed.
They state people ignoring the signage are being irresponsible for their own safety — as well as the safety of the workers in the forest
FSL spokesman Stuart Chalmers said: “We want everyone to have a great visit to the forest but more importantly we want people to get home safely.
“Many of the big safety risks are not obvious and those visitors who ignore our safety signage are taking a serious risk that could result in life changing injuries or worse”.
FLS states that a harvesting machine can fell and de-limb a 40ft tree in under a minute.
Mr Chalmers said: “Harvesting machines work incredibly fast and they are very noisy.
"Operators will not hear — and might not see — anyone approaching. Fatalities and serious accidents have occurred in the past because members of the public have accessed a works area when they should not.
“We do not want there to be any more such incidents so — for their own safety — we strongly urge all visitors to observe and heed safety signage and follow diversions if one is provided.
“If a site is closed, then no reasonable alternative route is available and visitors should choose another trail or forest.
“Visitors can check our website destination pages before they leave home to get the latest updates on works affecting our forests.”
FLS have also reported that trespassers often refuse to listen to advice from workers and misguidedly claim — sometimes aggressively — their right of access under The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 (LRA) and the associated Scotland Outdoor Access Code.
Through the LRA, visitors are entitled to a right of responsible access to land — but it also necessitates the provision of the least restrictive access from land managers.
FLS says the LRA’s requirements help in conjunction with determining the conditions for safe access.
