New Zealand Coroner Urges Tighter Tree-Felling Rules After Worker’s Death

New Zealand Coroner Rachael Schmidt-McCleave has recommended that WorkSafe consider consulting on tighter manual tree-felling safeguards after reviewing Mykhailo Tremel’s death. The 39-year-old died while felling pine near Clevedon, southeast of Auckland, on June 1, 2022. In findings released on October 25, she said machine-assisted felling would likely have prevented his death and recommended consultation on barring manual felling of wind-damaged or hung-up trees and requiring an observer within sight and sound. She also found improved observation, call-in and emergency-response procedures would most likely have increased his chances of survival.