The Complete Heavy Equipment Safety Guide

Understanding the Different Types of Heavy Equipment

First off, it’s important to understand the definition of heavy equipment, which is a selection of different types of machinery that make the construction process faster, easier, and more efficient.

There are different types of heavy construction equipment, each associated with potential workplace hazards.

• Excavators. Also called diggers, they are used to dig foundations, trenches, and holes into the ground.
• Backhoe. This type of equipment performs multiple functions on construction sites, including loading and unloading, excavating, and lifting to different heights.
• Bulldozers. Used to excavate shallow levels, this machinery helps clear the area by moving or removing huge quantities of soil.
• Loaders. This type of heavy equipment helps load different materials onto dumpers and trucks with its huge bucket. Loaders come in wheeled or tracked forms.
• Tower Cranes. These fixed cranes are a staple in any construction of tall buildings and skyscrapers, which hoist materials like frames, pipes, and blocks to different heights.
• Compactors. Also called rollers, these machines are designed to press soil or any material, depending on the nature of the task.

Without proper preventative measures and controls, individuals operating or working around heavy equipment are at great risk for accidents, such as the following:

• Falls when working at elevated levels using heavy equipment
• Getting crushed when a piece of equipment overturns
• Being struck or crushed by material being transported using heavy equipment
• Getting caught between heavy equipment and a wall or another object
• Getting run over by a heavy construction vehicle
• Electrocution when heavy equipment comes in contact with a powerline

To prevent such unfortunate scenarios, construction firms must impose regular safety operation checks and practices throughout the entire operation.

Important Pre-Operation Safety Checks

Before starting their day-to-day tasks, heavy equipment operators are expected to perform strict inspections on their machinery to ensure the utmost safety.

• Check tires, rims, or undercarriage for accumulated debris or visible damage.
• Assess fluid levels, such as the engine and hydraulic oil, diesel exhaust fluid, and coolant.
• Clear away debris that has accumulated around engine components, like the radiator.
• Check for any signs of oil, fuel, or air leakage or if any filters need replacing.
• Inspect for damaged or worn belts, such as the fan and alternator. Replace them when necessary.
• Assess greasing points and see if any joints or high-friction areas need greasing.
• Pay attention to hydraulic pressure, connections, and the whole coupling structure.
• Check for any damage to the teeth, buckets, and other tools.
• Ensure the attachment mount-up is properly attached and secure.
• Check for any signs of structural damage to the machine. There may be dents or scratches that have been missed post-operation the day before that may entail possible damage to the site.
• Remove anything in the operator’s cab that should not be there.
• Go over the operator controls and indicators. Ensure all safety features and vehicle cameras are working.
• Survey external surroundings, including the structures and the people around them, ensuring total safety and optimal productivity.

Best Practices for Safe Construction Operations

Two-thirds of all construction accidents stem from the “fatal four” main causes, which include falls, being struck by an object, being caught in between, and electrocutions. Most of these causes commonly occur in people around or working with heavy equipment.

Therefore, it’s best for operators, engineers, and all construction workers to learn the basic principles of heavy equipment operation safety. Aside from the above pre-operation checks, they are advised to apply the following:

Maintaining Three-Point Contact

Experts recommend maintaining three points of contact to climb on and off heavy equipment safely. This means always having two hands and one foot or one hand and two feet on the machinery. A triangle of anchor points keeps an individual stable when mounting or dismounting heavy equipment.

Wearing a Seatbelt

Construction vehicles often work on rough terrains that can throw an operator without a seatbelt. To prevent serious injuries, always wear a seatbelt during operations, even if it’s only to drive from one place to another.

Watching for Blind Spots

Because of its size, a bulldozer, loader, or other heavy equipment poses many blind spots for the operator, which increases the risk of striking or crushing things or people during operations. Operators are advised to familiarize their different blind spots and consciously watch them for stray workers or obstructions.

Assigning a Spotter

Designating a spotter during operation can increase construction safety by a mile. This person is tasked to help the operator spot clearances, check for safe conditions, and steer other workers away from danger zones. A designated spotter for each piece of heavy machinery is especially vital in busy construction sites.

Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Construction workers should always wear industry-standard PPE to protect them from potential hazards on site. OSHA has provided a set of construction PPE standards, including helmets, masks, gloves, steel-toed boots, and other protective equipment for specific tasks.

Maintenance and Repair Safety

Repairing faulty construction equipment is costly and can endanger the lives of operators and other workers on site. This is why regular maintenance is vital for any heavy machinery.

Rather than a reactive approach, construction companies should ensure a proactive approach to construction equipment repair and maintenance. This means scheduling routine maintenance checks to prevent a bigger machine failure in the future. Below are two types of maintenance heavy equipment owners and operators should apply:

Routine Maintenance

Routine maintenance is regularly done on a scheduled basis. Machine operators themselves can usually do such measures without specialized skills. These routine maintenance tasks include the following:

• Lubricating machinery
• Safety inspections
• Oil or filter changes
• Tire inspections
• Replacing damaged or worn parts
• Pressure tests
• Checking fluid levels
• Checking the parking brake

Preventive Maintenance

Unlike routine maintenance, preventive maintenance looks at the big picture and anticipates problems that may occur to construction equipment before they happen. Service technicians perform this while the equipment is still working to prevent unprecedented breakdowns.

Preventive maintenance can be done based on a schedule or the machine’s usage (e.g., every 10,000 km). Since specialists do this, preventive maintenance can be costly, so it’s also advisable to prioritize the most vital equipment to perform preventive measures.

Practicing Maintenance Safety

Maintenance safety precautions help keep technicians safe, protect the equipment, and minimize downtime. Below are some tips on keeping construction repair and maintenance safe for everyone involved:

• Employers should hand out authorization keys only to specific personnel, limiting access to those who have undergone sufficient training.
• Workers should take autonomy over their equipment. Ensuring their machinery is working in optimal condition lessens the safety risk to repair technicians.
• Wearing PPE is essential in improving maintenance safety. Employers should strictly impose this rule and apply sanctions to those who break it.

Maintaining Overall Site Safety

Construction site safety does not solely depend on heavy equipment operators. It is also the employer’s responsibility to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for all construction personnel. Furthermore, employers must make sure their work complies with the government’s safety and health rules.

Some of the most vital site safety measures are as follows:

• Setting barricades and other traffic controls, especially when the site is on or adjacent to a highway
• Keeping the site clean, ensuring employees are not working in hazardous, unsanitary, or dangerous conditions
• Implementing training programs for employees using ladders or stairwells who are most at risk for falls
• Organizing a safety committee or holding safety meetings across all members of the organization

Communicating the importance of workplace safety to employees is another challenge for employers. They need to ensure that everyone on site knows the best practices for construction safety and religiously applies them in their day-to-day jobs. Organizing a safety committee is one way of bringing workers and management together to ensure a safe workplace.

Emergency Response During Construction Accidents

Construction sites are filled with safety hazards, and emergencies can occur anytime. Emergencies on construction sites range from falls from heights to electrical accidents, crane accidents, excavation collapses, and incidents involving heavy machinery. Employers must implement a comprehensive emergency response plan to protect workers and the construction company from liability.

During emergencies, all personnel need to have peace of mind and take immediate action to ensure everyone’s safety, such as the following:

• Staying calm. Assess the situation first to know which action steps to take next.
• Calling for help. Identify if emergency resources, such as 911, are available in the area, as well as the facilities and limitations in the said location.
• Evacuating the site. Everyone should know where the exit routes and designated meeting places are if there is an imminent threat to safety.
• Administering first aid. Employees should learn first aid to mitigate injuries while waiting for emergency services to arrive.
• Maintaining contact. It is essential to keep emergency services informed of the situation every step of the way.
• Guiding emergency services. Personnel leading the emergency situation should be able to meet services on site and lead them to the scene.

Prioritize Construction Safety

Heavy equipment is an integral part of the construction industry, allowing for faster and more efficient completion of projects. But operating such equipment also comes with significant risks, especially to employee safety, leading to accidents and injuries that can be fatal to the individual and costly to companies. Both the management and workers should implement proactive measures to ensure the proper use of heavy machinery and a safe working environment for all.

References:

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• Construction Safety Association of Ontario. (2003). Emergency Response Planning for Construction Projects. https://www.ihsa.ca/pdfs/products/id/b030.pdf
• Ministry of Labour and Employment. (n.d.). All About Safety Committees. International Labour Organization. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---ilo-dhaka/documents/publication/wcms_486117.pdf
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