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5 Construction Safety Tips When Working Around Heavy Machinery

15/8/2019

30 Comments

 
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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are over 15,000 construction site injuries in the US and more than a thousand of those injuries are fatal. Unfortunately, a large number of these injuries could’ve been prevented if the people in charge put some time and effort into quick but effective training sessions and regular reminders. Moreover, during our research, we found that a large portion of these accidents are caused by the presence of heavy machinery on-site, a critical part of almost every construction site, which is why we’ve compiled a list of construction safety tips when working around heavy machinery using data from the BLS, OSHA, and CDC.

1. High Temperatures
Heat injury is a serious health problem that affects thousands of workers every year. But combine the extreme heat of the summer with heavy machinery and your construction site becomes a lot more dangerous. Metal surfaces of your machinery can easily burn workers. Your operators are at even greater risk as they might get caught out with hot instruments and lose control of the machine. It’s also not uncommon for operators to fall off a machine due to extremely hot metal surfaces when trying to dismount (more on that later).
 
The best way to avoid such injuries? Protective clothing. Workers might not be too excited about wearing bulky clothes in the heat but it’s for their safety. At the very least, they should be wearing gloves at all times. White-colored clothing, regular breaks, and water would further help in keeping body temperatures down.
 
It’s also in your best interest to know when it’s time to stop. Take a look at OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention Campaign to learn what temperatures are safe for work.

2. Mounting/Dismounting
According to the CDC, falling is the leading cause of work-related injuries and deaths in construction sites, and falls in the construction industry are frequently fatal. In other words, you don't want your workers to lose balance and fall down in an active construction site. The stakes are even higher when there are heavy machinery, like skid loaders, working around them.
 
And what’s the most dangerous and often the most dangerous time to fall? When mounting or dismounting heavy machinery.
 
The best way to avoid such injuries? Use the three-point contact rule, according to which, the worker must maintain at least three points of contact with their hands and feet while mounting or dismounting a machine to limit the possibilities of slipping or falling.

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3. Hand Signals
As useful and versatile heavy machinery is, they can be noisy and make it difficult when workers try to communicate with one another. In addition, machine operators (especially crane operators) are often positioned far from those directing the work. Not being able to understand each other can have dangerous consequences on a construction site. One way around this is to use radios for communication. It’s also what most construction sites use to overcome loud machines. But radios don’t always work and you must have a backup in case the radios stop working and your operators and workers can’t communicate with each other.
 
The backup? Hand signals. Train employees to learn and use and understand simple but clear hand signals when the need arises.

4. Regular Inspection
Machines require maintenance - no two ways about it. But the maintenance also needs to be regular or else critical signs of damage or improper fits can go unnoticed. For instance, if a skid loader’s tracks aren’t properly tensioned, it can simply walk out of its tracks and potentially hurt others nearby.
 
There are millions of other ways a lack of heavy machinery maintenance can lead to disaster in a construction site. So put in the time and effort into keeping your machines in perfect condition. Otherwise, you could be paying $991,027 - the average hospital costs for a fatal construction accident.
​
5. Training Session
A proper training session can be as short as 30-minutes. It would be enough to cover the basics of best safety practices when working around heavy machinery. A few of these training sessions will allow employees to understand the common hazards when working with heavy machinery, the correct way to inspect and maintain heavy machinery, and also teach awareness procedures to both operators and ground crew.
 
And that wraps our top 5 construction safety tips when working around heavy machinery. You can learn about these safety tips through official websites of BLS, OSHA, and CDC. ​

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Nina is a freelance writer specializing in a few niches, including Home & Garden. Writing engaging and high-quality content ranging from interior design and landscape architecture to commercial construction and heavy equipment. Her vice in life is a nice glass of red wine, a great cup of coffee (black), and sandy toes on the beach.

construction management construction project management
30 Comments
Bob link
4/11/2020 05:25:01 am

I think you are right to make sure that you wear bulky clothes. It sounds hard to wear in the heat, but you are right that it is safer around machinery. It would probably be wise to wear reflective vests for passing cars.

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Darrien Hansen link
6/1/2021 11:48:57 pm

Thank you for explaining how learning hand signals is important since construction equipment can often make noise that may limit your communication options. My uncle is thinking about opening a home building service and needs to make sure that his employees understand how to warn each other about steep slopes when operating forklifts. He should find a training program that will help keep his workers safe.

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Charlotte Fleet link
29/1/2021 07:03:24 am

I like how you mentioned that it is important for employees to be trained on the safety practices for using heavy machinery. I would imagine that it would be equally as important to make sure that the company you rent the equipment for has a good reputation for safe and reliable equipment. Thank you for all of your safety tips around heavy machinery, Nina.

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Eli Richardson link
1/2/2021 10:46:06 pm

I'm glad you mentioned how important it is to inspect regularly your heavy machines. My uncle is thinking about investing in construction, and he's researching about it. I think in general, it's essential for a machine to get checked regularly to avoid future damages and to ensure the safety of the workers. I believe this article will help my uncle. I'll be sure to share it with him. Thanks for the tips about how to avoid accidents when working with heavy equipment.

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Kristofer Van Wagner link
3/2/2021 03:06:21 pm

I appreciate that this post mentioned that it is important for us to consider the number of routine maintenance if we were to hire an OSHA technician. I do agree that it is important for us to have these information lined up as it will make it easier for us to plan. I will definitely keep this tip in mind for references.

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Curtis Butler link
9/2/2021 11:20:44 pm

I had no idea the loud equipment on a site can significantly limit a worker's ability to communicate with other people. My uncle is thinking about opening a business that manufactures office buildings once he graduates from college next year, but he needs to make sure that his workers will be able to understand each other while large cranes are operating. Maybe he should think about finding a safety training service that can help ensure that his employees know how to protect themselves while at a construction site.

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Taylor Hicken link
19/2/2021 04:11:14 pm

I totally agree when you shared that it is important to provide regular inspection for equipment. This can be done by hiring a reliable service that can help with the appraisal process. I would like to think if a company is working on a construction project, it should consider looking for a reliable appraisal service to inspect the machinery.

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Adam Golightly link
25/2/2021 07:12:42 am

I can see how a business could really benefit from getting the right products in order to work a lot safer when working up high. Making sure that they can get some help from a professional could allow them to be more effective. It was interesting to learn about how employees should understand common injuries when working with heavy equipment, and should take a training class in order to be more prepared.

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Rebecca Gardner link
3/3/2021 01:50:54 am

It made sense when you said that construction machinery needs maintenance to avoid critical damage and dangerous situations. My brother mentioned he's looking for a road construction contractor since he wants to develop a commercial building on a property that'll need a long driveway for access. Asking about machinery maintenance should help him find a reliable construction contractor for the job, so thanks for sharing that idea I can pass along to him!

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kate hansen link
13/3/2021 04:51:35 am

It was really helpful when you said to use radios for communication around noisy equipment. My husband is planning on finding a crane to rent for his work in a couple of weeks for a construction project, and he wants to make sure that he can stay safe while using one. I'll make sure to pass these tips along to him as he searches for a crane to rent.

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Elena link
11/5/2021 06:27:00 pm

Great post! It is not easy to take care of heavy machines, they require maintenance and regular inspection. Which is necessary for their life. I am glad that you have mentioned their regular inspection. Thanks for providing some safety tips, Keep sharing more content like this!!

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Eve Mitchell link
20/5/2021 01:25:20 am

my son wants to get a job in construction. I liked the tip about regular inspection being critical. I will make sure to pass these tips along to my son.

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Braden Bills link
26/5/2021 09:12:26 pm

My friend wants to get some equipment for a project that he's working on. It makes sense that he would need to get the right safety supplies! I'll make sure that he gets a professional to handle certain things so that it can be done safely.

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Tez link
17/6/2021 10:32:38 am

That makes sense that machines need regular maintenance repairs. I need to get a construction crew to make sure that my house gets remodeled. I'll have to consider getting a construction crew who has a well-maintained machine set.

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Alejandro Martinez link
1/7/2021 11:46:59 am

I totally agree with hand signals in communicating actions and warnings to fellow workers. This kind of training should be provided by your supplier if you <a href="https://cels.megawide.com.ph/">rent construction heavy equipment</a> to use in your construction site.

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Meter Box link
18/7/2021 03:24:53 pm

I like how this article is written. Your points are sound, original, fresh and interesting. thank you for sharing.

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Fire Rated Access Doors and Panels link
30/7/2021 08:41:49 pm

Stunning post! Thanks for the excellent presentation of your outline.


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heavy-duty access doors link
30/7/2021 08:52:04 pm

Thanks for the information. Sounds so great and helpful. Kudos!

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Value Market Research link
26/8/2021 02:13:51 am

According to Value Market Research, the latest technology trends and global market opportunity analysis in the Construction Equipment Market industry growing with a high CAGR in the upcoming year. Our report has categorized the market based on technology, service, development, vertical and region. https://www.valuemarketresearch.com/report/construction-equipment-market

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Braden Bills link
15/9/2021 09:56:34 pm

I'm getting a construction site put together so that I can get my new home built. It makes sense that having all of the right safety equipment would be important! I'll be sure to work with a professional to ensure that it's all put together right.

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Tex Hooper link
16/9/2021 09:45:36 am

I appreciate what you said about taking regular breaks when working in construction. That seems healthy to avoid unsafe fatigue. I need to hire a construction crew that has good safety measures.

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MeterBox Lock link
8/11/2021 02:26:09 pm

I highly appreciate you have posted a great article and suggest about taking regular breaks when working in construction. It seems healthy to avoid unsafe fatigue.You always hare great content and easy to implement. Thanks

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Eve Mitchell link
2/12/2021 07:54:41 am

Thanks for the tip about safety sessions being as short as 30 minutes. I'm hoping to rent some equipment for a project at my company. I want to make sure that everyone is trained, so I'll make sure to have in-depth training for all my employees.

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Hailey Miller link
20/1/2022 01:59:00 pm

Thanks for pointing out that regular maintenance is important to keep machines in working condition. I would imagine that any construction facility would want to avoid incidents that can affect their operations. I think they should look for a reliable company that can provide high-quality heavy equipment parts at an affordable rate.

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Jeff Carbine link
29/1/2022 09:30:15 pm

I never knew that we discovered that heavy machinery, which is a vital aspect of nearly every construction site, is responsible for a big amount of these incidents, which is why we've prepared a list of construction safety advice for working around heavy machinery based on data from the BLS, OSHA, and CDC. I never thought that it would be like this, I'll share this with my aunt. Thank you for the information about heavy construction equipment.

Reply
Jeff Carbine link
10/2/2022 10:39:05 pm

I never knew that we discovered that heavy machinery, which is a vital aspect of nearly every construction site, is responsible for a big amount of these incidents, which is why we've prepared a list of construction safety advice for working around heavy machinery based on data from the BLS, OSHA, and CDC. I never thought that it would be like this, I'll share this with my aunt. Thank you for the information about heavy construction equipment.

Reply
Tex Hooper link
17/5/2022 07:04:18 am

You make a great point about how tracks need to be properly tensioned. I need to get a couple of bulldozers for the backyard. I have a project that requires huge fire power.

Reply
Victoria Addington link
18/5/2022 02:29:33 pm

It captured me the most when you mentioned high temperature affects thousands of workers annually because of heat injury. My friend wants to ensure that their equipment is designed to promote safety in their operation. I think that's attainable with the help of a reputable heavy equipment design service.

Reply
John Carston link
5/8/2022 02:31:36 pm

I like how you mentioned that you should prevent injuries by providing prevention actions. My father mentioned a couple of days ago that he and his business partner were looking for machinery valuations for their better production, and he asked if I had any idea what would be the best choice to consider. I like this informative article, I'll tell him that it will be much better if we consult trusted machinery valuations appraisers as they can provide more information about their services.

Reply
Mia Evans link
1/3/2023 04:57:49 pm

I totally agree when you said that there should be regular inspection for the machines you are using, because it can lead to disasters if they are not checked. I can imagine how important that would be no matter how new your access equipment hire is, since there can be some components that might get loose during transport and all. In my opinion, a couple of minutes of delay can be worth it if accidents are prevented and injuries are avoided.

Reply



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  • Construction Home
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