In the recent years, the proper design of agricultural machines for both professional and non-professional use has assumed a relevant role in workers protection and accident avoidance. The activities related to cutting and sawing of firewood is the main cause of injuries or death of the operator. This is often due to the use of inadequately built or modified machines, improper use of equipment and use of tools intended for other purposes. This study aimed to design a conical screw log splitter that meets the criteria of the European Directive 2006/42/EC and the technical standards of EN 609-2:1999+A1:2009(E) guideline. For a proper design we determined the forces that influence the machine during its use, and sized the machine accordingly. The log splitter was scanned and digitalized in three dimensions. From the digital model we obtained a real model in 5:1 scale. Comparing the created log splitter with other solutions available on the market we confirmed its similar costs with the costs of tools currently marketed. The productivity of the machine was only slightly lower than that of machines not equipped with protections, but its safety was significantly improved
