Safety and Skills

A good operator knows how to handle earth-moving equipment efficiently and safely. Only an experienced operator should handle this type of equipment. Only the operator should be in the seat or on the operating platform while the equipment is in use. RIDERS ARE NEVER ALLOWED.

It takes intelligence and experience to know how to get the job done while maintaining safe equipment speeds which are consistent with roadway and other working conditions.

Because runways for equipment receive heavy usage and abuse from weather, the operator should report any unsafe conditions.

Excessive speeds in rough places and on poor construction roads may cause tilting, which can throw the operator from the equipment, or possibly cause the equipment to roll over. WEAR YOUR SEATBELT.

Safe operation of heavy equipment means that the operator is concerned with safety of other workers as well as his or her own safety. This is especially true of backing up. The operator must make sure that everyone is in the clear before backing up.

A skilled bulldozer operator understands how to manage equipment when ascending or descending steep grades. The operator maintains the proper speed according to the conditions and proper balance by keeping dozer blades close to the ground.

A scraper should never be operated without a safety line attached to the pulling unit. Flags and barricades should be used to warn traffic whenever construction equipment is being operated on or across roadways.

OPERATE EQUIPMENT WITH SKILL AND SAFETY SENSE.