Did you know that over 20% of all worker deaths last year were on construction sites?
While accidents happen in every work in every workplace, the stakes are much higher when workers are using heavy machinery. The sheer weight and power of the equipment mean that more serious injury or death can result from accidents.
If you operate heavy machinery what do you need to know? What precautions should you take? Why not read our in-depth article to find out.
Stay Awake
On a building site or in a machine shop there are distractions everywhere. Loud noises, flashing lights, and moving parts. One of the major causes of accidents in the workplace is a lack of concentration on the job at hand.
Focusing on the work you are doing and avoiding the temptation to look at surrounding events unnecessarily can protect you. It can help you to focus on the behavior of the machine and materials that you are working with.
Avoid Rushing
Tight deadlines, financial incentives, avoiding overtime. There are many reasons why workers rush and take risks. However, this often leads to the ignoring of safety guidelines and the taking of risks.
Avoid this by valuing your life and health more than financial incentives. Take your time and ensure that you work with all guards in place. Further, do not let others rush you, even superiors.
While this might not sound exciting, this often leads to a better quality of work overall, and long term benefits to your reputation.
Education is Key
Education is one of the key ways to protect your workforce. If each worker understands the risks involved and accident prevention methods, then fewer mistakes and injuries will occur.
You can arrange for the training by inhouse experts or invest in heavy equipment safety training.
This is especially important for new workers. They should not start working without a full education regarding safety standards and methodology.
Maintain Machinery
Machine failure and unpredictable machine behavior are some of the most common reasons for accidents and injuries. A regular preventative maintenance program can prevent either of these from happening at all.
Ensuring that each machine is well oiled, cleaned and that major parts such as electric motor brake parts and guards are inspected regularly can prevent major disasters almost completely.
Operating Heavy Machinery Safely and Much More
If you work with heavy machinery on a daily basis you will know the importance of workplace safety. In some workplaces, an accident could lead to a light injury. However, when you work with heavy machinery the chance of permanent injury or death is much greater.
If you are interested in learning more about heavy machinery and business topics, then why not take a look at our other blog articles. We handpick the topics that you need to know about and publish them on our feed. Take a look to see how we can help you today.
