NIOSH recommends that injuries and deaths be prevented through training, proper installation and maintenance, work practices, and personal protective equipment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries data identified 346 deaths associated with excavators or backhoe loaders during 1992–2000. Review of this data suggests two common causes of injury: (1) being struck by the moving machine, swinging booms, or other machine components; or (2) being struck by quick-disconnect excavator buckets that unexpectedly detach from the excavator stick. Other leading causes of fatalities are rollovers, electrocutions, and slides into trenches after cave-ins. Site workers must be able to recognize and avoid unsafe conditions. They must also be able to follow required safe work practices that apply to their work environments.
Proper training and site set up is essential in preventing exacavator accidents. According to the NIOSH website proper site set up includes:
-Contact local utilities and other responsible parties to locate overhead and underground utility lines before beginning work. Avoid working near overhead power lines. If you must work near them, develop a plan to avoid contact and to follow OSHA regulations for minimum clearance.
-Do not permit hydraulic excavators or backhoes to be operated on grades steeper than those specified by the manufacturer.
-Make sure that workers position machinery at a safe distance from excavations such as trenches.
Kudos to www.WorkSafeBC.com for the video. Find them on twitter!
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Sources:
www.niosh.com
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