Safety Tips for Working Heavy Machinery

Heavy machinery can be a danger to the user and those standing nearby unless the proper safety rules and regulations are adhered to. This includes what your wear and ingest as well as operating rules. Heavy machinery does a great job in all applications, but its use is fraught with danger. This danger can be considerably lessened by sticking to safety regulations, not all of which may be in the user's manual or training books. Here is a brief list of safety rules: -

Don't operate heavy machinery while under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs. Some medications also cause drowsiness or make you less alert than normal.
Always wear the correct protective clothing such as boots, gloves, helmet, overalls and safety jacket.
Tie long hair into a bun and take off jewellery before you start.
Do not carry a passenger unless there is a passenger seat complete with safety belt for them.

Never allow a passenger to ride in the bucket or on any other part of the equipment. Keep a safe distance from other machinery and people who may need to be on the construction site.

Turn off the engine before refuelling or performing any other checks off the machine.

Do not smoke when using the machine ' or refuelling.
When parking or leaving the machine, turn off the engine, engage the brakes and gears and remove the key from the ignition.
Disengage any attachments and make sure they are at the lowest position.

Always use the safety guards provided, e.g. for the PTO.

Always wear the safety belt even if your machine has a cab. It will prevent you from being thrown out if the machine should tip or roll over.

Watch for overhead power lines.