Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/860257
EquipmentWorld.com | August 2017 61 Never kneel near moving machines safety watch | by Tom Jackson | TJackson@randallreilly.com T he victim, a grade checker, had on all the safety gear: a high- visibility vest, hard hat and ear plugs. He was a 10-year veteran with the construction company. The motor grader had a func- tioning backup alarm, and the operator had checked the mirrors. Both men were working on the construction of a parking lot. The stakes had been hammered in, and the gravel was being spread by the motor grader. The grade checker had stepped back to the curb and was cleaning up loose gravel when he noticed one of his stakes had a torn flag on top. He began to walk toward the stake just as the motor grader operator put the machine into reverse. Accident investigators believe the grade checker was so focused on the damaged stake that he did not notice the motor grader's change in direction. When the grade checker got to the faulty stake, he knelt down to replace it and disappeared from the motor grader operator's rear views. The grader's two left tires ran over the grade checker, causing serious injuries. How this accident could have been prevented • Equip machines with rear vision cameras. • Consider installing collision avoidance or proximity warning systems on mobile equipment. • Make sure that machines with rear blind spots have reverse signal alarms that are distinguish- able from the surrounding noise level. • When reverse signal alarms are not readily audible, use amber strobe lights. • Develop, implement and train workers on visual methods of communication between machine operators and workers on foot. • Use spotters to communicate via hand signals with the operators in cabs. • Train all workers on machine- and brand-specific equipment blind spots. • Train workers not to kneel or bend down on active jobsites except briefly and only then after making sure they're out of the path of any moving equipment. For more information on this accident see: http://bit.ly/2g0ocltj For additional information and tips on preventing back- over accidents see: https://bit. ly/2tu8Fm9 Date of safety talk: Leader: _____________________ Attending: Illustration by Don Lomax