Earthmoving Machinery

• Read and review the operator’s manual. Be familiar with the operator controls.
• Be familiar with the area where work will be performed. Locate ditches, stumps, debris, and undercut banks and avoid these hazards by keeping a safe distance away.
• Locate overhead and underground utility lines before beginning work. Avoid working near overhead power lines. If work must be done near them, develop a plan to avoid contact.
• Slow down when conditions are poor (ex. traveling on rough ground, going up or down a slope when towing or carrying heavy loads, when entering public roadways, and when turning with a load in the bucket).
• Only operate equipment on grades specified by the manufacturer.
• Position machinery at a safe distance from excavations and trenches.
• Operators should be trained in the proper use of the equipment they are assigned to operate.
• Identify and label all machine controls and ensure they are working properly.
• Securely latch attachments, such as quick disconnect buckets, before work begins.
• Conduct visual and operational checks on all machine systems and operating controls before use including the hydraulics.
• Make frequent visual inspections of quick disconnect systems, especially after changing attachments.
• Use the rollover protection system (ROPS) and seat belts supplied by the manufacturer.
• Do not exceed load capacities when lifting materials.
• Lower the boom to a safe position with the bucket on the ground and turn off the machine before stepping off for any reason.
• Make all workers on the site aware of the equipment’s presence and how to safely work around it.