Every day, workers around the country spend time operating and handling heavy equipment. Sadly, just about every day, at least one of those workers will be injured. Whether you handle the machinery yourself or you’re supervising workers, use some safety tips to keep everyone on the job safe:
Complete a Visual Check
Before operating any powerful equipment, it’s best to check for dangers above and below the machinery. Make sure cables, wires, and equipment components are in good condition. Watch for cracked hoses, for example, leaks, evidence of stress, and similar signs to wear. Make sure it’s safe to run machinery before getting started.
Identify Blind Spots
It’s important to know where blind spots are and correct the situation. For example, those who operate heavy equipment must be certain that no one and nothing is in the way of the machine during operation and may need to walk all the way around their equipment. Drivers may need to get out of their machines to be sure they have 360 degrees of clearance.
Keep Communication Lines Open
When possible, drivers of heavy equipment should have a partner with an additional perspective of the area around the machine. The operation of stationary equipment is also safer when the operator and other crew members can talk to each other. Two-way radios are one of the best ways to maintain communication between the members of crews.
Be Aware of Forces
When working with heavy equipment, there are a lot of forces at work that can cause trouble for workers. For example, gravity causes workers or tools to fall. Spring force makes garage door repairs dangerous. These forces may lead to trouble in just about any work environment, but as machines and equipment get heavier, the danger increases. Tools, such as dynamometers fort lauderdale fl, can help determine the amount of force involved.
There are many ways workers can be hurt on the job when handling heavy machinery. What steps have you found to be most effective at maintaining safety in your workspace?