Heavy Equipment Safety Starts With You

Safety starts NOW! Heavy equipment safety is now one of the most important issues in any workplace. So much so that special regulations are in place that are designed to force employers into ensuring that workplaces are safe. As a heavy equipment operator, you have an important role in this area. However, that safety starts with you personally, before you even start your heavy equipment’s engine.

As a heavy equipment operator, you will be required to follow certain regulations. Some of these regulations will be determined by the actual workplace. For example, on many construction sites, the general rule for all employees may be steel capped boots, work gloves, hard hats, and ear and eye protection – if you don’t comply you could be suspended and sent home until you are ‘work safe’. Continue to ignore the regulations and you will lose your job. On some sites there is a zero tolerance – you’ll lose your job immediately if you have blatantly ignored the regulations.

Other sites may be a little more relaxed, however, the more protection you have, the safer you are going to be. Remember, problems such as ear damage could take decades to show through, and by then it’s too late as the damage is permanent. It’s not just the safety equipment required. There are other safety issues that you need to learn to the point they become a habit. The ‘three points of contact’ rule is a good example. When boarding and leaving your heavy equipment, three points of contact (two feet and a hand, or two hands and a foot) will help to ensure you don’t slip and fall.

Some regulations may seem silly or pointless, however, they have been put in place for a reason, and that reason is to protect you. Other regulations are in place to ensure you don’t harm others or do damage to property. Follow the rules and you will help to ensure a safe workplace, or at least a safe workplace when it comes to your actions. One of the focuses of heavy equipment operator training is safety – not just because it’s a requirement but because it could prevent your, or someone else’s, death.