Life-Saving Commitment #12: Mobile Equipment Safety

Life-Saving Commitment #12: Mobile Equipment

Be aware of the safe practices required to protect yourself and your coworkers from potential hazards associated with working in proximity to mobile equipment.

Hundreds of workers are killed on construction sites each year by coming in contact with mobile equipment such as backhoes/excavators, mobile cranes, loaders, bulldozers and other miscellaneous equipment. The main causes of death are struck by, run over and caught between.

You should:

  • Be aware of the hazards associated with working near mobile equipment.
  • Ensure that all mobile equipment in your area has functioning back up alarms.
  • Stay out of the swing radius of rotating mobile equipment.
  • Before performing maintenance of mobile equipment make sure that the brakes are set, blades and booms are lowered and the operator is aware of your presence. Controls and ignition may need to be locked out in some cases.
  • Wear high visibility clothing and make sure that operators working in your area can see you at all times.
  • Notify your Supervisor of any hazardous conditions that you observe.

If you are the Supervisor or the person in charge of the work you should: 

  • Ensure that all equipment operators are trained in the safe use of the equipment.
  • Verify that all alarms and other safety features on the equipment are working properly.
  • Ensure that barricades are erected around the swing radius of rotating equipment.
  • Provide trained spotters or signal persons to alert operators to workers or pedestrians.
  • When possible, delineate work areas with caution barricades to keep workers away from mobile equipment.
  • Ensure that operators are aware of any maintenance being performed on their equipment.