| |
April 2023
Dear Guest,
Welcome to AFCA's April edition of 'The Log' newsletter, providing you with a recap on AFCA and our industry for this month as well as what's coming up.
WANT TO SEE SOMETHING NEW?
If you have a certain topic, announcement or event coming up please let us know and we can ensure to include this in our next edition.
Happy reading!
| |
| |
AFCA develops program to meet the need for forestry drivers | |
The attraction and skilling of drivers in the forestry industry is a national problem and the simple fact is that the industry is not attracting or growing the talent pool.
The Australian Forest Contractors Association (AFCA), in order to increase capacity for the future, has recognised the need for an industry specific program that develops the right skills and get participants excited about working in the industry.
With that in mind, AFCA and Skills 360 developed an industry specific program in 2022 in an attempt to fill the log-truck driver shortage in South East Queensland.
The program is funded by the Queensland Government under the Skilling Queenslanders for Work program, which aims to re-engage longer-term unemployed Queenslanders by providing a unique, industry specific program which gets them ready for work. Source: Timberbiz
| |
| |
| |
Save The Date - AFCA Members Conference | |
| |
| |
Have you entered yet? CLOSING 8th May | |
CLOSING SOON ! Are you ready to win big thanks to Kennedy Trailers?
To enter just click on the button below to our Facebook post and post a photo of your trailer (not your 6x4 🤣) with a brief description in the comments below or email your entry to office@afca.asn.au.
Big shout out and thank you to Kennedy Trailers for providing their huge Merch Pack for AFCA to give away! REMEMBER competition closes 8th of May where a member of the team at Kennedy Trailers will select the winning photo to win this merch pack and also feature in our May edition of AFCA's The Log newsletter.
Kennedy Trailer Merch Pack includes: 1 x Sports bag 1 x Green alpine Jacket 1 x Beach towel 1 x Key ring 1 x Belt buckle 1 x Rugby shorts 1 x Bluey 1 x Hi Vis vest 1 x Beanie 2 x stubby holders 1 x Pen 1 x Coffee flask 1 x Flannel shirt 1 x Hoodie
Remember to enter either click on the button below to our Facebook page or email your entry to office@afca.asn.au | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
AFCA has always and will continue to foster partnerships with our members, industry sectors and all levels of government, in all states to provide a voice for you, our members. | | | |
BECOME A MEMBER - WHY? As an industry we are currently experiencing many challenges Australia wide. In order to combat these we need to band together and gain strength in numbers by becoming a voice for all forest contracting businesses. | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
ForestFit: Taking Forestry Certification to the Next Level | |
ForestFit is demonstrating the benefits of its implementation to forest growers and forest contracting businesses. Collaborating with 16 national forest growers and managers, a steering committee is working towards achieving national | | | |
agreement of an optimal auditing process of FCBs through the alignment and integration of existing forest grower processes with ForestFit.
Forest growers can use ForestFit as a lead indicator assurance that FCBs have all the necessary systems in place, and they can streamline their processes by using ForestFit certified contractors.
Midway confirms their support for ForestFit. Malcolm Hatcher, General Manager Technical Services at Midway says, “the ability to streamline our processes by using ForestFit certified contractors that are verified by an independent third party means we don’t have to duplicate the audit process.”
With the help of an independent third party, ForestFit aims to make auditing processes more efficient and eliminate duplication. To read our latest media release on WoodCentral and learn about Australia's newest forestry certification just click on the button below.
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
NEW PROGRAM - Professional Freight Task Management Program | |
This program is open to all members as well non-members combining the 'Professional Owner Driver Wellbeing Program (PODW)' with the ATSSS 'Heavy Vehicle Crash and Rollover Awareness Program' to become the 'PROFESSIONAL FREIGHT TASK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM'.
On the back of the success from our Professional Ownership & Driver Wellbeing Program (PODW) and due to popular demand AFCA has again engaged Alan Pincott, ATSSS- Australian Trucking Safety Services & Solutions and Kirstin Pincott, KJ Training & Consulting to present our new program 'Professional Freight Task Management'.
This new program encompasses not just the PODW program but is now combined with the 'Rollover' Program to present a complete and comprehensive training package designed for 'best practice' across the whole transport industry as well as non-transport industries. | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
Wood Transport & Logistics 2023 | |
Not long to go now! Our GM Carlie Porteous will be guest speaker discussing all things AFCA including Contract Sustainability and more. This event has been set up by the Forest Industry Engineering Association with support from all of the key trucking associations for forestry and log transport companies for 24-25 May 2023. As well as being the first dedicated log transport event run for over five years, the event (conference, trade exhibits and pre-and post-conference workshops) will be covering industry technology firsts.
Have you booked your travel for this fantastic event? If not just CLICK HERE to learn more or register.
| |
| |
| |
Austroads releases new research and guidelines to help prevent road transport suicide | |
Austroads has published a new research report detailing current statistics and the best measures to prevent suicides on Australian and New Zealand roads. The report, Road Transport Suicide Prevention, is the first of its kind to be published by Austroads and takes a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding the best measures to prevent suicide attempts on Australian and New Zealand roads. | | | |
Suicides involving road transport are relatively rare but each death is a tragic and an avoidable loss.
The research found that the impact of suicide can have a significant impact on family, friends, colleagues and communities, as well as road system users, such as drivers and passengers, first responders and witnesses. It found suicides on the road transport network touch a far wider number of working professions than may have been first thought.
“In Australia, it is estimated that between one and seven per cent of motor vehicle fatalities may be the consequence of intentional actions to take one’s own life,” said Austroads Road Safety and Design Program Manager, Michael Nieuwesteeg.
| |
| |
| |
National Road Safety Week 2023 - Have you pledged yet? | |
Every year, approximately 1200 people are killed and another 44,000* are seriously injured on Australian roads. Traffic injury is the biggest killer of Australian children under 15 and the second-biggest killer of all Australians aged between 15 and 24. These numbers are growing every year but are preventable if we choose to Drive So Others Survive!.
National Road Safety Week is an annual initiative from the Safer Australian Roads and Highways (SARAH) Group, partnering road safety organisations and Government. The week highlights the impact of road trauma and ways to reduce it.
| |
| |
| |
| |
New psychosocial hazards code of practice for QLD | |
The Code of Practice, which comes into effect in Queensland on 1 April 2023, providers employers and workers with guidance on how to prevent harm from psychosocial hazards at work, such as traumatic events, bullying and poor support. This legally enforceable code includes steps and examples on how to identify, assess and control these hazards as well as detailed case studies for different industries. | |
| |
| |
HOW HEALTHY MINDSETS CREATE A HAPPY WORKPLACE | |
A healthy mindset is one that can weather life's storms, maintain emotional balance and can grow and change with new experiences. The attached White Paper from EQ Minds provides you with tools on how to create your 'Happy Workplace'.
While a healthy mindset matters for the health of an individual, it is a must-have for the health of a business. It doesn't matter if you have a team of 3 or 3000, it only takes one healthy mindset to start rippling out the positive effects across the company, resulting in a happier workplace. When it comes to profits and people - it's the best investment you can make. | |
| |
| |
| |
CLOSING SOON - Chain of Responsibility Training Program | |
Once-off funding to support the development and delivery of Chain of Responsibility (CoR) training and education projects is available to help boost safety across the supply chain.
The funding will support businesses that use heavy vehicle transport, to deliver tailored training programs focused on the Chain of Responsibility (CoR).
Grants will be awarded to projects aimed at educating participants on how to improve the safety of heavy vehicle transport activities. Priority will be given to projects that focus on ‘off-road’ parties in the CoR, particularly for industries where there is a lack of existing training resources. Additionally, preference will be given to proposals that also guide executives to use due diligence to ensure that a business discharges its primary duty.
Submissions for funding opened Tuesday 11 April 2023 and will close at 5pm AEST Friday 5 May 2023. Successful applicants will be able to access up to $300,000 of funding. | |
| |
| |
People at work - a FREE mental health resource | |
This fantastic resource People at Work is a free validated Australian psychosocial risk assessment survey.
Established in 2007, the People at Work Project was a research collaboration among University of Queensland, The Australian National University, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, WorkCover NSW, WorkSafe Victoria, Comcare, Safe Work Australia, and beyondblue.
The survey assesses a number of the most common psychosocial hazards and factors. The survey is a part of a five step process that you can use to identify, assess and control risks to psychological health at work. Resources are provided to help you: - Prepare for and roll out the People at Work survey,
- Interpret the results, and
- Take action based on the survey results.
On completion of the survey you will receive a report that compares your organisational results against a benchmark of Australian industries. | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
Ponsse to develop more eco-friendly machines after government grant | |
Forest machine manufacturer Ponsse and technology company Epec believe that the emissions and environmental impact of mobile work machines can be significantly reduced with new technology. In the field of mobile work machines, there are several development targets towards sustainable development.
Business Finland has granted EUR 10 million in funding to Ponsse’s FORWARD’27 program to accelerate the product development of mobile work machines. The aim of Ponsse’s FORWARD’27 program is to significantly reduce emissions from mobile work machines, reduce their energy consumption and improve productivity. Improving operator working conditions with auxiliary functions and automation are also among the key components of the program. Source: Timberbiz
| |
| |
| |
Thank you to our sponsors for their ongoing support for our AFCA and our members: | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
Interested in becoming a Sponsor of AFCA and its members? | |
As an AFCA sponsor you will have the opportunity to collaborate and provide your input into industry and government initiatives that impact not only your business but that of our members also. Multiple opportunities to promote your business to AFCA members through advertising, exclusive invitations to member events and by providing coordinated input through AFCA with other members and sponsors. | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
.png)
