A 24-year-old bushman, Niko Brooking was killed on the job this week.

Struck by a steel cable in Hawkes Bay's Pohokura forest, the second death there in months.

Mr Brooking's workmate, Blair Palmer was crushed by a tree in March.

"It's unacceptable and it's sickening," said CTU President, Richard Wagstaff.

Now the company which owns Pohokura forest is fronting up.

Pan Pac Managing director, Doug Ducker said, "Our thoughts are very much with the family."

Mr Ducker manages Pan Pac forests, which contracts out the tree felling to D G Glenn Logging, the company that employed both of the men who were killed.

D G Glenn Logging did not want to comment.

The minister in charge, Michael Woodhouse says it's not appropriate while investigations are ongoing.

"Everyone who is part of that supply chain should look at themselves and say 'what more can we do to make sure that on the job, people are safer'," said Mr Wagstaff.

The government's new health and safety laws states that everyone has a responsibility to proactively identify and manage risk so everyone is safe.

"It's not just about the paper work, what's really important is about having those discussions around how the job's going to be done well," said National Safety Director at the Forest Industry Safety Council, Fiona Ewing.

"At a fundamental level safety's the responsibility of all... The primary responsibility in this case sits with the forest contracting company but Pan Pac recognises it's responsibility as the principle involved," said Mr Ducker.

Worksafe New Zealand says increased monitoring has meant the number of people being injured in the bush has dropped.

But with five deaths already in 2016, forestry remains one of our most dangerous jobs.