It's concerning there have already been four forestry industry deaths this year despite safety improvements, a coroner says.
There have been four forestry deaths this year. Photo: 123RF
Coroner Wallace Bain made the comments in his report on Robert Epapara, who died after being hit by a falling tree in a forestry block near Rotorua in March 2013.
Mr Epapara's death was one of 10 forestry deaths that year.
Coroner Bain said the worker who felled the tree did not know where 23-year-old Mr Epapara was and did not properly take steps to work that out.
Despite rules that workers felling trees should be in constant radio contact, Mr Epapara and at least one other worker did not even have radios on them.
Since 2013 there had been a significant improvement in safety in the industry, largely driven by the Council of Trade Unions, Coroner Bain said.