When you operate and work around heavy machinery, you are well-advised to have a healthy respect for these monsters. Whether you are operating a large 20-ton excavator, driving a skid steer, or doing mechanical repairs on a grader, you need to be very aware of the damage these machines can do to you physically. This equipment can cause grievous bodily harm when not operated correctly. The reality is that the vast majority of people get through their working days uninjured because they never lose sight of the damage they can cause, and they take steps to mitigate potential accidents.
According to global statistics, there are four main causes of death and injury to people who operate and work around heavy machinery. These four causes are: 1) Falls – falling off heavy machinery
2) Struck by an Object – being hit by an object off a piece of heavy equipment
3) Electrocutions – being accidentally energized by electricity
4) Caught-in-between – being caught in between components on construction machinery or materials.
Studies suggest that almost all accidents concerning the operation of heavy equipment were preventable through increased awareness. This awareness focuses on three specific hazards: 1) Mechanical Hazards All heavy construction equipment has moving parts. When not in motion, most machines are relatively stable and safe. It is when they are in motion that they have enormous power and have the capability of doing severe damage. When working around machines, watch for moving parts that can reach people. Also, machinery and equipment that can eject objects and can strike someone can be very dangerous. Common mechanical hazards include rotating shafts, colliding surfaces, scissor or shear action, sharp edges, and detachable connections. Risks associated with mechanical hazards are entanglement, crushing, severing, cutting, and puncturing as well as slips and falls.
2) Non-mechanical Hazards Not all heavy equipment hazards come from components in motion. Almost all machines have stored energy waiting to be released that can be gasses or fluids under pressure, electrical charges, and hot surfaces. Worker hazards from non-mechanical means can also include exhaust emissions and chemical by-products.
3) Access hazards May workplace injuries and deaths happen because workers have unsafe access to and from a particular point. Being caught in-between dangerous components or struck by objects is avoidable by proper planning, placing safeguards, and raising workers’ situational awareness.
Access control must be predicted and planned in advance rather than reacting to an unexpected situation. The most effective solution for minimizing access hazards is effectively communicating all information concerning mechanical and non-mechanical heavy equipment hazards.
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