Safety question for excavator operators

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Yep

This is what I was getting at. Competency is important, that comes from training, education and experience

All equally as important as the other

Yes but the root stock must also be considered.
Some people shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a construction site.
Just type construction into youtube and see how many videos of idiots working on sites will appear.

 

[Parm]

Yes but the root stock must also be considered.
Some people shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a construction site.
Just type construction into youtube and see how many videos of idiots working on sites will appear.

Weakest link in the chain is always the human. Construction sites are way to far, some folk shouldn’t be let near a screwdriver

 

[brightspark]

a builder friend of mine got crushed with a bobcat loading shovel he had a lad on it with no training and the bucket was up so my mate leaned in and was showing him the levers . lad pushed a lever and bucket went down crushing him between the arm and machine not nice

 

[God mode restorations]

I spent many years on site sitting in a 360 up to 45t. And in my honest opinion and experience (and I have a lot) it's not the 360 operator that's going to cause an accident. It's the selected few dumb asses that think its totally ok to walk right across your 360 swing zone... travelling limited devices and all that have a place in restricted spaces ect. But when your sitting on top of a 10000 tonnes muck heap and 10 muck away lorries are lined up waiting that 360 cant move quickly enough....plant and site machinery propose a hazard regardless of operators. It's an old discussion that's been dragged up time and time again and they will never be able to do a lot about it.

 

[Agrismith]

I spent many years on site sitting in a 360 up to 45t. And in my honest opinion and experience (and I have a lot) it's not the 360 operator that's going to cause an accident. It's the selected few dumb asses that think its totally ok to walk right across your 360 swing zone... travelling limited devices and all that have a place in restricted spaces ect. But when your sitting on top of a 10000 tonnes muck heap and 10 muck away lorries are lined up waiting that 360 cant move quickly enough....plant and site machinery propose a hazard regardless of operators. It's an old discussion that's been dragged up time and time again and they will never be able to do a lot about it.

Apart from the odd duck tail swing machines are pretty much banned on major construction sites kier Balfour etc now
And an exclusion zone machines manned by someone to stop people inadvertently entering it
The next step is a halo a red line projected on the ground around every machine

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Weakest link in the chain is always the human. Construction sites are way to far, some folk shouldn’t be let near a screwdriver

I won't work on sites too many people more interested in having a laugh and messing around than getting there job done.

 

[Parm]

I spent many years on site sitting in a 360 up to 45t. And in my honest opinion and experience (and I have a lot) it's not the 360 operator that's going to cause an accident. It's the selected few dumb asses that think its totally ok to walk right across your 360 swing zone... travelling limited devices and all that have a place in restricted spaces ect. But when your sitting on top of a 10000 tonnes muck heap and 10 muck away lorries are lined up waiting that 360 cant move quickly enough....plant and site machinery propose a hazard regardless of operators. It's an old discussion that's been dragged up time and time again and they will never be able to do a lot about it.

Yep very true.

I was taught a very simple rule. Stay of the work zone, 10 m is a good distance, and then always make eye contact with the driver

 

[Migmac]

One of the guys that I worked beside ignored the rule about getting the machine operators attention before approaching the machine. It was a tracked harvester, operator could see infront and to one side of the cab. Idiot came from the blind side and got a tree dropped on him then the tree got run over the top of him twice as the operator was taking the branches off. He survived it but was badly cut, scratched, bruised and a few broken ribs. He was off for weeks, still claimed it wasn’t his fault.

 

[fixerupper]

Do they still have banksman .. when an excavator /digger is being used ?...

 

[premmington]

One of the guys that I worked beside ignored the rule about getting the machine operators attention before approaching the machine. It was a tracked harvester, operator could see infront and to one side of the cab. Idiot came from the blind side and got a tree dropped on him then the tree got run over the top of him twice as the operator was taking the branches off. He survived it but was badly cut, scratched, bruised and a few broken ribs. He was off for weeks, still claimed it wasn’t his fault.

This is a very good point above.

If you need to approach a working machine - you need to approach it from the front and wave at the driver/operator - most 360 drivers will put the bucket down - I don't go any closer till the bucket is on the floor. I just stand there waving like any idiot till the driver has seen me.

Worst place you can be in industry is behind a forklift.

I got a real thing about separating pedestrian traffic from forklift loading areas.


One of the lads who works for me had a complaint from a visitor onto our site - he got out of the lift truck and had a loud moan at them for walking into a cordoned off area while he was loading a lorry trailer.

They had a real b'tch at me over it - my response was "he has the right to enforce his loading area is clear of willing victims who wanna be squashed - I would be moaning at him if he did not" - I firmly believe a machine operator should be "in charge" of the area he is working a machine in. If someone is being "marshalled" - the person who is marshalling - should be "in charge".

 

[Agrismith]

Do they still have banksman .. when an excavator /digger is being used ?...

Depends on the circumstances if there is any chance of utility's underground then yes and on some sites like the M23 smart motorway all machines have a banksman

 

[8ob]

MO`s most basic bit of training is to be aware of all around them, soon forgotten and you will see many machine operators whether excavator, dumper or forklift drivers reverse without a taking a quick glance to see whats behind/beside them. This is why the refreshers are so important, not so long ago we were called into a H&S meeting to discuss the accident rate in forestry. long story short it was all us old gits with years of experience that were responsible for most of the accidents.We do have a no lone working policy so most machines have a banksman.

Bob

 

[premmington]

MO`s most basic bit of training is to be aware of all around them, soon forgotten and you will see many machine operators whether excavator, dumper or forklift drivers reverse without a taking a quick glance to see whats behind/beside them. This is why the refreshers are so important, not so long ago we were called into a H&S meeting to discuss the accident rate in forestry. long story short it was all us old gits with years of experience that were responsible for most of the accidents.We do have a no lone working policy so most machines have a banksman.

Bob

We only have forklift trucks - apart from pallet stuff on and off lorries - all other lifts here are with a banksman.

By the nature of the job - we lift odd things in odd manners with chains and straps and attachments for lift truck forks.

I got a thing about this - whoever is gonna be banksman for a lift - is in charge and has the final say - does not matter if it is me (the boss) - one of our fitters - or another member of staff. It is the nominated banksman who takes charge of a lift.

 

[snowcat]

MO`s most basic bit of training is to be aware of all around them, soon forgotten and you will see many machine operators whether excavator, dumper or forklift drivers reverse without a taking a quick glance to see whats behind/beside them. This is why the refreshers are so important, not so long ago we were called into a H&S meeting to discuss the accident rate in forestry. long story short it was all us old gits with years of experience that were responsible for most of the accidents.We do have a no lone working policy so most machines have a banksman.

Bob

The favourite to demo at HSE meetings is the one where you have a decent operator who's looking in the mirrors and over his shoulder on a telehandler, then answers the mobile phone gets distracted and they put a dummy in the RH blind spot which is then run over.

Personally with a 360 seams an improbable accident to swing into live traffic, no more likely than knocking down a building your working close to, or wagon/trailer dumper your loading..... As mind numbing as site work is and as numb as some of the operators minds are iv yet to see an operator that cant put pile of dirt A into trucks at point B..... without slewing to point C...

 

[Parm]

Most of the accidents I’ve seen ( we have plenty of material) is where people have been dicking around

 

[brightspark]

Most of the accidents I’ve seen ( we have plenty of material) is where people have been dicking around

I threatened to get a joiner chucked of the site as he was firing nails at his mates with the passlode and one just missed my van

 

[Parm]

I threatened to get a joiner chucked of the site as he was firing nails at his mates with the passlode and one just missed my van

I’ve seen some video where two idiots were jousting with the arms of a couple of JCBs. They got really carried away and ended up squishing an apprentice they didn’t see

 

[4String.]

One of the lads who works for me had a complaint from a visitor onto our site - he got out of the lift truck and had a loud moan at them for walking into a cordoned off area while he was loading a lorry trailer.

They had a real b'tch at me over it - my response was "he has the right to enforce his loading area is clear of willing victims who wanna be squashed - I would be moaning at him if he did not" - I firmly believe a machine operator should be "in charge" of the area he is working a machine in.

^^^^ This.

When I’m lifting with the Hiab, it’s me that’s in charge, no one else, irrespective of what they might think or have been told or have been led to believe. Not the lift supervisor or the riggers or whoever else is in the lift zone, or the site manager or the guy who owns the land or the man who pays my wages, or a fireman wearing a white helmet or a Policeman with pips on his shoulder, come to that! If ANYONE strays into the zone, they get a prolonged blast from the Acme Thunderer whistle that hangs round my neck as standard kit, then I stop and ask them if they’ve ever seen a 20 metre mast/5 ton lathe/40’ container, etc, fall and crush someone. When they invariably say no, my answer is “Me neither, and I have no intention of doing so today. Now get well away from this area or I will forcibly remove you!!”

It works for me and has done for many years, and it avoids any “unpleasantness” or conversations of the wrong sort with the HSE. And if the only thing that bothers my conscience is that someone has taken offence at my somewhat blunt language, I can live happily with that. It won’t keep me awake at night, but the alternative will...

 

[Parm]

I threatened to get a joiner chucked of the site as he was firing nails at his mates with the passlode and one just missed my van

Got another one where a young lad was told to burn some rubbish. How difficult can it be to start a bonfire?

So they gave him 5L can of petrol and a lighter

Poor kid was nearly toast, airlifted to hospital and still not back to work after two years.

His mates were in hysterics in the van.

All filmed in CCTV

 

[Robotstar5]

MO`s most basic bit of training is to be aware of all around them, soon forgotten and you will see many machine operators whether excavator, dumper or forklift drivers reverse without a taking a quick glance to see whats behind/beside them.....

As part of my job I regularly have to cross areas where FLT's & electric tug trucks are working, even though I have a hi-vis on I always stop well clear until I'm sure they have seen me before crossing.

All our internal vehicles have a stickers with "if you can't see my eyes, I can't see you"