Tauranga MP Simon Bridges is calling for increased performance in the forestry industry following the death of Bay of Plenty man David Beamsley this week.

The 63-year-old Murupara man was killed in a tree felling accident at Kaingaroa Forest on Tuesday afternoon.

A Bay of Plenty man's death in a forestry incident is the eighth fatality in the industry this year.

David is the eighth forestry worker to be killed in a workplace fatality this year.

'The number of fatalities in the forestry sector is too high and the safety record is not acceptable – the industry needs to get its safety house in order,” says Simon.

The Labour Minister believes there is no lack of understanding about what the main problems are, or what the solutions might be.

'The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is nearly half way through a proactive programme of assessing cable logging contracting operations throughout the country (330 operations).”

The assessment figures show that of the 150 cable logging operations inspected in NZ in the last few months a total of 14 have had to be shut down as there was imminent danger of serious death or injury.

Of those shut down for imminent danger, seven were in the East Coast region, two in Waikato, two in Northland, and one each were in the Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay and Wellington.

Inspectors have also issued 182 enforcement notices.

In the BOP 43 enforcement notices were issued. A total of 53 were issued in the East Coast, 14 in Wellington/Wairarapa, while Marlborough and Northland had 13 each.

Nearly half, or 89, of the enforcement notices were due to system failures - the lack of health and safety plans, such as a clear plan for a safe retreat distance during log hauling.

Simon says it's simply not possible for the Government to install an inspector in every workplace in New Zealand.

'Those who own the forests, those who run the crews in the forests, those who train the workers, those who represent the workers, and the workers themselves have to join the regulator in taking strong, effective, lifesaving action.

'Safety in this industry now is about everyone who is part of it stepping up to ensure the right things are happening consistently on the hill and taking responsibility for supporting every decision on the hill to be a safe one.”