Anyone that works in construction or the warehousing industry knows exactly how dangerous a typical day on the job in these industries can be, especially when heavy equipment or heavy equipment attachments are being used. For example, did you know that 20,000 road construction worker are injured in work zones on the job each year? Many of these injuries involve the use of heavy equipment and heavy equipment attachments such as lift, loaders, excavators, and more. In addition, it’s estimated that 35% of on the job construction injuries each year are related to heavy equipment accidents, many of which could have been avoided by taking the proper precautions.
For as powerful as they are, heavy equipment and heavy equipment attachments are equally if not more dangerous. These mighty machines and their powerful tools such as heavy equipment attachments are capable of completing tasks that would otherwise be impossible or would take a long period of time to complete. But as Peter Parker’s uncle once said in Spiderman, with great power comes great responsibility! This sentiment can also be applied to training and safety when it comes to operating or being around heavy equipment and heavy equipment attachments that are in use.
Take at these important safety tips for using heavy equipment and heavy equipment attachments.
Do you even know how to use the machine?
If you aren’t properly certified, trained, licensed, insured, or otherwise authorized to use a particular piece of heavy equipment, then you have no business whatsoever mounting it or attempting to use it. If you’re complete clueless as to how a machine operates, your risk of injuring yourself or another person dramatically increases. In fact, trying to use heavy equipment you’re not properly trained in is downright irresponsible in a number of ways. If you are properly trained but haven’t used heavy equipment or heavy equipment attachments in sometime, it pays to review the manufacturer’s manual for operation and maintenance instructions. You may even want to take a refresher course.
Take a good look
An important part of heavy equipment operational safety is practicing proper maintenance. An machine that’s in need of repair poses a major danger to everyone on site, especially the operator. As such, it’s important to thoroughly visually inspect heavy equipment and any attachments or parts before using it. You may even want to create a physical checklist on paper or digital one on a computer in order to literally check off the critical points of inspection. It’s especially important to be vigilant in looking out for points of stress, irregularities in the undercarriage, leaking fluids of any kind, and split hoses.
Be aware of all the blind spots
Just like cars, heavy equipment machines and vehicles have blind spots that can’t be seen just by using mirrors. The driver, or operator in the case of heavy equipment, actually has to turn their head or move their entire body in order to clearly see objects in the blind spot. This i where proper training and experience in operating heavy equipment safely comes into play. When you’re aware of a particular machine’s blind spots, you can effectively avoid them and problems they may cause. Keep in mind that you even have to physically dismount the machine and take a look in order to make sure nothing or no one is in the way. While it might seem or feel tedious, this small amount of time and effort can save lives and prevent damage to property or the machine itself.