Heavy Equipment Safety

When construction equipment is rumbling around a project, you must keep your eyes open and watch your step. If the construction workers and the operators both keep their eyes open, nobody will get hurt.

The following reminders will help to keep everyone safe:

• Never take for granted that the operator can see you.
• Never walk alongside a moving piece of equipment. Keep a clear safe distance in case the load shifts, or they suddenly make a turn.
• Never hitch a ride on a running board, the bucket of a loader, the forks of a lift, or on the top of a loaded truck.
• A spotter should be used to check for blind spots when equipment is traveling backwards. That is when most accidents happen.
• Keep your eyes open and stay alert. Never depend on hearing a warning signal, backup alarm, or a horn. They may be lost in the general noise around a project.
• Never walk or work under suspended loads
• Swinging counter weights or moving parts of equipment can cause pinch points. Don’t ever get into a position where you may be squeezed between them.
• Never repair, lubricate or clean a machine that’s in operation. Turn of the equipment.

Construction equipment is heavy and extremely unhealthy to tangle with. 

Always assume that the operator cannot see you, or doesn’t even know that you are around. Always figure that it is up to YOU, to keep in the clear.