Working at a construction site is already a dangerous job. On top of that, if you are handling heavy machinery then you have to make sure that you practice all the safety measures required to prevent any mishaps or on-site accidents. While operating heavy machinery, you must exercise caution as the machinery’s strong abilities add to its risk factor, and even though most of us are aware of the risks involved, accidents and equipment related incidents are still common.
All heavy equipment comes with its own set of safety guidelines that need to be followed to ensure worker safety and prevent any on-site accidents. However, those guidelines are specific to the machinery you are operating whereas the following tips are universal and need to be followed regardless of the equipment you’re handling.
Firstly, make sure that you are confident in your ability to handle the equipment you are using. Only operate equipment for which you have had proper training.
It is important to wear high visibility clothing so that you are easily spotted on a worksite.
Know your equipment’s limitations and remain alert while handling it.
Never climb on and off of your equipment while it’s in motion and exercise extreme caution while mounting your machinery, because unless you had your industrial equipment supplier customize it to accommodate you, it wasn’t built with your height and build in mind.
After planning your route for the day, make sure to communicate with the people on-site through hand signals or a radio about your next move. Coordination is necessary at a construction site and following proper communication protocol should help in lessening the risks on-site.
Make sure to load and unload the equipment on an even surface in order to lessen the risk of a rollover and remember to wear your seat belt at all times.
Don’t ever exceed the load amount that a machine is allowed to carry as the limitation is there for a reason.
Make sure to do a thorough inspection of the site and the equipment you will be using before starting to operate it. Make sure to check for any signs of damage in the equipment. If you find anything that seems out of place, get it checked out immediately. Don’t take the risk of working with faulty machinery.
Whenever you are exiting the vehicle, make sure to park on an even surface. After relieving pressure from the hydraulic controls, wait for all movements to stop before securely getting off the machine.
Remember to use the three-point contact method when getting out of the machinery, keeping either both hands and a foot or both feet and a hand in continuous contact with the machine while moving the other limb. Don’t forget to remove the keys from machinery that isn’t being used.
Remember, the safety guidelines are put in place for your own protection. In Houston heavy machinery accidents occur all the time, many of which could have been avoided if proper safety measures were taken and all the rules and guidelines put in place for handling heavy machinery were followed.
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