Heavy equipment operations safety – Prevent Injury Now!

Every year, more than 100 people are killed, due to not being able to handle correct heavy equipment operations. This includes operating excavators, mobile cranes, backhoes, graders, loaders, tractors and bulldozers. The main cause of death:

Workers who are on foot are usually struck by heavy equipment operations. Usually, this happens when the equipment changes directions or is being loaded.

Workers who are on foot are crushed by falling loads, buckets or other parts that are moving.

Mechanics are caught in equipment, due to the brakes not being set.
Mechanics are run over, because of the equipment being left in gear or because controls are not locked out.

How can you protect yourself during heavy equipment operations?

During heavy equipment operations, your employer should only allow experienced and trained operators to use the heavy equipent. It should be noted that the operators should be trained by professionals that are qualfied and experienced. You should only buy or rent equipment that has ROPS or rollover protective structures, as well as seat belts.

Make sure that only lowboy or flatbed trucks that are made for transporting heavy equipment are used. A copy of the operating instruction manual should be available on all of the machinery. Next, make sure you identify the hazards of under ground power lines. Establish the proper guidelines and procedures for working around these. Before there is any excavation done, use a one cal system for the utility cutoffs.

Everyone should be trained on equipment hand signals. Signal persons and spotters should be trained so that they can alert the workers or operators to blind spots.

Heavy Equipment Operations Safety

For your heavy equipment operations safety, make sure that you review the shut down, safety and operating procedures in your operator’s manual before you work with any new equipment. Inspect your equipment and make sure that the controsl work every single day before beginning your work. In order to prevent slipage and falling, keep fluids and any grease off the working and walking surfaces. Use your 3 points of contact procedure when entering and exiting your heavy equipment. This should be both hands and at least 1 foot. Do not travel parallel to embankments or steep grades.

Your heavy equipment operations also should include using a seat belt. The exception to that is when you are using equipment that hs no ROPS. This is because you may have to jump clear during a possible rollover.

If your heavy equipment operations finds your equipment out of control or rolling over, do not jump out if it has an ROPS and a seat belt. Put your transmission in park and shut off your motor, and perform any other necessary shut down techniques to lock out before working around your heavy equipment.

Successful heavy equipment operations are experienced by those who always have a proper safety mentality and who follow the guidelines. Heavy equipment operations can be dangerous, if you do not follow proper procedures. When you do actually follow safe procedures, you can experience a great career in heavy equipment operations.