1. Operating Heavy Equipment in the
Presence of Ground Personnel
Presented by: The Windsor Consulting Group, Inc.

2. Operating Heavy Equipment in the
Presence of Ground Personnel

3. FOREWORD
This training session is devoted to attempt to identify,
and hopefully better educate those who must work
around or operate these types of equipment, since they
all possess the capability to cause serous injury or
death.
Many types of Mobile Construction Equipment are
available for use by contractors doing a wide variety of
work. Many, if not all these machines, have to operate
within a close proximity to persons on foot. They all
however, present similar types of known hazards.

4. THESE INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT
LIMITED TO:
Front-end loaders; Rubber-tired and tracked
Crawler tractors/bulldozers, skid steer bobcats
Wheel tractor-scrapers, elevating scrapers, tandem powered scrapers
Rubber-tired backhoes and tracked hydraulic excavators
On and off-road haulage vehicles
Asphalt Pavers and associated support equipment - pavement rollers
Vibratory rollers and compactors
Motor graders, grade tractors, industrial tractors
Concrete mixers and pump trucks
Special use construction equipment: grinding,
Pulverizing, milling, water trucks, etc

5. PERSONS PUT AT RISK BY WORKING AROUND, OR
BEING NEAR OPERATING HEAVY EQUIPMENT
DIRECT PARTICIPANTS: (Need to be on site on regular basis)
Signal Persons, Observers, Flaggers, Grade Checkers, Dump Persons.
Equipment Operators, Teamsters.
Laborers, Iron Workers and Carpenters.
Foremen, Supervisors, and other related contractor staff.
Surveyors, Rodmen, Layout Crews.
Mechanics and Oilers.
Any Other Crafts and/or Trades working on the Project, or Passing
through the work areas.

6. PARTICIPANTS WHO NEED TO BE ON SITE: (On a Periodic Basis)
 Delivery Trucks, Service Providers, (of any kind) - Unescorted on the site.
 Concrete Mixers, Pump Trucks.
 Contracted Services; Crane Rental, Concrete Saw Cutting, Port-to-let Service Persons
 Union/Labor Officials.
 Roach Coach Drivers.
 Trash Removal Vehicles..
 Architects and Engineers, Inspectors, Client’s Staff/Owner’s Reps./Guests/VIPs.
 Engineering Service Providers: Concrete Testing, Compaction Testing, Air Monitoring,
etc.
 City, County, State and Federal Officials: (Of all types).
 Vendor Sales Personnel or Product Installation Specialist(s).
 Other Utility Service Providers & Locators: Phone, Gas. Electric, Water, Sewer, Cable
 Transportation Industry; Trucking, Buses, Taxicabs, Rail, Ships, Aircraft.
PERSONS PUT AT RISK BY WORKING AROUND, OR
BEING NEAR OPERATING HEAVY EQUIPMENT

7. NON-PARTICIPANTS, NO DIRECT NEED TO BE ON SITE:
 Pedestrians, Spectators, On-lookers, Sidewalk Superintendents and the Just Plain
Curious!
 Children (of all ages).
 Job Seekers, (all types).
 Joggers, Bicycle Riders, Skate Boarders, All Terrain Vehicles, Power Walkers.
 Environmentalists independently reviewing compliance with Laws/Restrictions..
 Scavengers, Wood collectors, Junk Collectors, Dumpster Divers.
 Lawyers, Investigators, Thieves, Burglars and Law Breakers.
 The Media: (Depending on circumstances).
PERSONS PUT AT RISK BY WORKING AROUND, OR
BEING NEAR OPERATING HEAVY EQUIPMENT

8. CONCERNS FOR SAFETY
PROBLEM:
YOU HAVE A CONGESTED CONSTRUCTION SITE WITH
PERSONNEL ON FOOT, AND MOBILE MACHINES WORKING
IN THE SAME AREA, AT THE SAME TIME!
VISION STATEMENT:
TO PROVIDE A SAFE WORKPLACE, FREE FROM
ALL RECOGNIZED HAZARDS...

9. GOAL AND OBJECTIVE
 PREVENT WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS!
 PREVENT PERSONAL INJURIES
BETWEEN MOVING EQUIPMENT AND
THOSE WORKERS WHO ARE ON FOOT.
 YOU MUST SEE AND BE SEEN!!!

10. TODAY’S STATISTICS
 PRIMARY CAUSES OF WORKER FATALITIES
IN RECENT YEARS WERE:
RUNOVERS OR BACKOVERS (dump trucks):
48%
COLLISION BETWEEN VEHICLES OR
MOBILE EQUIPMENT: 14%
CAUGHT IN BETWEEN OR STRUCK BY
CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT OR
OBJECTS: 14%

11. HOW DID WE GET HERE?
 NATION-WIDE, PAST HISTORY OF PERSONS
BEING STRUCK OR CRUSHED BY OPERATING
OR MOVING EQUIPMENT.
 IMPRESSION THAT THE EQUIPMENT
OPERATOR ALWAYS KNOWS WHERE GROUND
PERSONNEL ARE LOCATED.

12. AVAILABLE SOLUTIONS
 Management Commitment
 Employee Involvement
 Pre-construction Work-Site Analysis
 Hazard Prevention and Controls
 Equipment Maintenance
 Employee Awareness Training
 Periodically Review Procedures

13. WORKING AROUND HEAVY
CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

14. MANAGEMENT COMMITMENT
 Restrict entry onto site of non-essential
personnel.
 Establish controlled entry points to site.
 Coordinate operations of various trades
working in the same areas.
 Provide fundamental site rules and orientation
training to all persons at risk.
 Establish adequate lay-down areas.

15. EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT
 All employees who are at risk must receive
basic indoctrination.
 Absolute need to address problem with all site
personnel on a regular basis. (Toolbox Safety
Meetings).
 Site personnel must learn, follow, and obey
established rules.
 Realize they must see and be seen.

16. PRE-CONSTRUCTION
WORKSITE ANALYSIS
 Identify potential known hazards.
 Job conditions: haul roads, access points.
 Lay down/storage areas.
 Office, tool, storage and change trailers.
 Methods of construction, (increases risk?)
 Unwanted side effects of the job schedule.
 Changes in job schedule or work activity.
 Multiple contractors and trades onsite.

17. HAZARD PREVENTION and
CONTROLS
 Perimeter fencing, enclosures, warning signs.
 Spotters provided for in-the-blind, backing
machines and/or equipment.
 Poor planning or unscheduled change forces
workers to commit unsafe acts!
 Temporary barricades around hazards.
 Mantra: STOP, LOOK, LISTEN - Be Alert, Stay
Clear, Look Around, Hear the Warnings.

18. PROPER EQUIPMENT
MAINTENANCE
 Daily inspection to ensure machine in proper
working order.
 Test - back-up alarm, horn, lights, mirrors.
 Check - cab glass not cracked, missing, or
broken.
 Look - machine windows/mirrors kept clean.
 Pre-operational inspection conducted by daily
operator.
 Prompt reporting and repair of deficiencies!

19. EMPLOYEE AWARENESS
TRAINING
 Does your job require you to approach moving
machinery or vehicles?
 How does the operator know where you are
positioned at all times?
 Do you understand all signs, markers, hand
signals and flags? KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN!
 You must always be alert to changing job
conditions, work environments, and your
particular situation.

20. EQUIPMENT OPERATOR
RESPONSIBILITIES
GENERAL GUIDELINES:
Know safety features on equipment, how to
operate, and use them properly.
Systematic maintenance and repair.
Trained operators.
Trained repair personnel.
Pre-operational inspection of equipment.
Review manufacturer’s operating manual.

21. EQUIPMENT OPERATOR
RESPONSIBILITIES
SPECIFIC GUIDELINES:
Most dangerous movement is backing up!
Know where your blind spots are located.
Look for people on foot around you.
STOP! When signaled, when ground personnel
wave to get attention or if you are in doubt….
Maintain a safe and consistent operating
speed.

22. EQUIPMENT OPERATOR
RESPONSIBILITIES
 Keep machine under control at all times.
 Take machine “Out of Service”, if it is unsafe
to operate.
 Be familiar with the operating characteristics
of your machine.
 Look-out for other trades working in the same
area.

23. EQUIPMENT OPERATOR
RESPONSIBILITIES
 Be aware of other machines operating nearby.
 Frequently check for the location of other
machines.
 Keep lights and backup alarm in working
condition.
 Allow NO ONE to ride outside the cab for any
reason!
 Clean windows and adjust mirrors.

24. EQUIPMENT OPERATOR
RESPONSIBILIES
 Always inform Supervisors or other authorized
personnel of:
 Any abnormal conditions,
 Defects, or
 Changes made in machine and/or job work procedure
or working conditions.
 Report unsafe acts or working conditions to
your Supervisor.
 Talk about safety with those who work with
you and during meetings.
 Maintain “Constant Awareness” of your work
area and surroundings.

25. EQUIPMENT OPERATOR
RESPONSIBILITIES
 DO NOT attempt to make repairs/maintenance
that are not qualified or you don’t understand.
 Always check the mirror on the blind side,
making sure of your clearance.
 Backing on the blind side should be avoided if at all
Possible.
 Use radio communication and signal persons when
backing up.
 Learn and follow safe work practices!
EVERYONE’S LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!

26. DANGER OF COMPACTOR
ROLLOVER

27. MANUFACTURER’S
RECOMENDATIONS
 Clear all ground personnel from the machine
and nearby work area.
 Operator must be satisfied that nobody will
be endangered before moving the machine.
 Look behind machine before backing up.
 Consider all grades before moving machine.
 Evaluate weather conditions which make
operating machine unsafe.

28. MANUFACTURER’S
RECOMENDATIONS
 Have signalman present when moving in/out
of a building (or structure).
 Stop machine frequently at night, walk
around and inspect machine.
 Stay alert. If you are tired, sick, or otherwise
unable to operate machine safely – STOP!
 Clear all obstacles from machine path.
 Be aware of hazards such as wires, ditches,
road shoulders, falling rocks, etc..

29. OBSERVATIONS
 Small machines have small blind spots,
where larger machines have bigger blind
spots, both can cause serious injury or death!
 The taller and wider the machine, the bigger
the blind spot area.
 Everyone working in and around machinery
must be attentive to what they are doing and
where they are going!

30. VIEW FROM OPERATOR’S
SEAT
30

31. THE DANGER OF BEING
STRUCK-BY
ITEMS TO CONSIDER:
Revolving machines: cranes and backhoes.
Struck-by attachments to machines.
Drawbar and rigging related accidents –
hooking and unhooking.
articulated machines - pinch points.
Attaching homemade devices to a machine,
not approved by manufacture (hooks).

32. THE DANGER OF BEING
STRUCK-BY

33. STANDING ON OPERATOR’S
BLIND SIDE

34. THE DANGER OF BEING
STRUCK-BY
 Hazard of a water cooler mounted on
machine or a piece of equipment.
 Storing crew lunch boxes on equipment.
 Hand tools placed or stored on mobile
equipment platforms or decks.
 Design of machine or external use of devices
– inability to hear inside/outside of the cab.

35. IN DEFENSE OF THE
EQUIPMENT OPERATOR
 Where do all these people come from/work?
 Human factors in machine design; not much
thought to ground personnel in the work area.
 Faster and bigger machines; not as forgiving
as older, slower, and powerful machines.
 Can’t see everything that goes on around the
machine.
 Do site personnel on-foot realize the danger?

36. IN DEFENSE OF THE
EQUIPMENT OPERATOR
 Operation of the Machine Requires Constant
Vigilance.
 Who is responsible for whom? Premise –
everyone is responsible for their own safety.
 What about working in close proximity to
obstructions and ground personnel.
 Persons or vehicles that approach the
machine in the blind spots.
 Do ground personnel look out for operating
machines?

37. RUBBER-TIRED BACKHOES -
KNOWN HAZARDS
 Ground personnel caught in “pinch points” of
machine or struck-by moving machine
attachments; buckets, backhoe boom,
outriggers.
 Loose or missing pins, keepers in loader
linkages, cracks in lift arms, bucket
attachments and condition of the bucket itself.

38.  Traveling at excessive speeds, loss of control.
 Loose, sliding or bad ground conditions.
 Using machine as a crane or the bucket as an
aerial work platform.
 Seatbelt not worn by operator
 Transporting personnel in bucket or outside
platform.
RUBBER-TIRED BACKHOES -
KNOWN HAZARDS

39.  Overloading the capacity of the machine.
 Poorly-trained operator, [or] anyone on the
crew is allowed to operate the machine.
 Abuse or misuse of the equipment.
 Poor or non-existing maintenance - [Wait
‘till it breaks before problems are fixed -
mentality].
RUBBER-TIRED BACKHOES -
KNOWN HAZARDS

40. OPERATING MACHINERY
SAFELY