Forestry Work and Safety Standards: How Safe Would Hodler’s Woodcutter Be Today?
No helmet, no cut-resistant pants, unsuitable footwear: If Ferdinand Hodler’s famous 1908 painting *The Woodcutter* were set in a Swiss forest today, the woodcutter wouldn’t last two minutes without complying with current safety standards. We’ll show you which standards protect forestry professionals today—from head to toe—and beyond.
A man. An axe. A tree. Do you recognize this painting? Ferdinand Hodler painted his powerful *Woodcutter* in 1908 as a commissioned work for the Swiss National Bank. Today, the painting is known worldwide. But if you look at it through the eyes of modern forestry experts, you’ll see one big safety hazard from head to toe. Fortunately, standards are now an indispensable part of forestry.
No helmet, no chance
Let's start at the top. Hodler's hero swings his axe with great force, but isn't wearing a helmet. That's reckless, since forestry has the highest rate of workplace accidents in Switzerland. Today, the mandatory helmet [SN EN 397:2025] protects against falling branches, the face shield protects the eyes from splinters, and the built-in hearing protection [SN EN 352-3:2021] from overload.
Without cut protection, without us
As romantic as the scene may seem, these days trees are felled with chainsaws. That’s why the glove must provide at least 120 millimeters of protection on the back of the hand [SN EN ISO 11393-4:2020] and be equipped with cut-resistant layers. These consist of fibers that spread out instantly upon contact with a running chainsaw, slowing down the saw blade. Pants, jackets, and gaiters also feature this reliable emergency brake.
A forestry boot, a sophisticated safety system
From the breakfast table straight into the woods? At least, that’s what our lumberjack’s boots look like. Unimaginable today. The higher the chain speed of the saw, the higher the protection class of the boots [SN EN ISO 17249:2014]. The sole must also withstand temperatures of 300 degrees Celsius and must not slip on wet forest ground. That is why every single layer of the shoe is certified separately [SN EN ISO 11393-3:2019].
No brakes, no mercy
The portable chainsaw [SN EN ISO 11681-1:2022] has long since replaced the axe. To ensure that tree felling does not end in tragedy, kickback behavior and braking systems are strictly regulated. There are even limits for noise and vibrations. In addition, Suva requires training in the proper use of this dangerous tool. What might have been unimaginable to Hodler back then: Today, depending on the terrain and the task at hand, self-propelled forestry machines are already taking over [SN EN ISO 11850:2012] Aspects of hazardous work.
The tree has been cut down, but the danger remains
In the picture, the tree is still standing. But once it falls, the next tricky phase begins: hauling it away. Whether using winches, choker chains, and pulleys [SN EN 17822:2023] or, on Switzerland's typically steep terrain, using a rope crane [SN EN 16517:2022] – the logs must be safely transported from the forest to the processing industry. Every year, the forestry industry harvests about 5 million cubic meters of wood. That’s enough to build about 80,000 single-family homes using timber construction [SN EN 13986+A1:2015] to build. The most common tree is the spruce. The professionals make their decisions right there in the forest while sorting the trees by quality grade [SN EN 1927-1:2008], what the tree will become: a piece of furniture, hardwood flooring, or firewood.
If Hodler’s model were to observe forestry workers today, it would certainly be impressed by the visible and invisible protection provided by standardization. What used to be based on intuition and tradition is now grounded in experience, expertise, and a careful set of rules. This ensures that the forest remains a safe workplace for everyone.
Source: snv.ch
