Construction machines like cherry pickers and excavators are often essential on construction sites or during building renovation projects.
They serve a purpose, plug a gap and fulfill a task agenda that wouldn’t be able be completed in their absence. Yet, for everyone in the position of operating these types of machinery, it is essential to understand how to do it safely. This significantly decreases the chance of something catastrophic happening such as a grave injury or worse.
Here are the top tips for using construction machinery safely that are universal to any job site or type.
Table of Contents
Wear Safety Equipment
Personal Protective Equipment is essential. The body has to be protected in case of an accidental mishap, which could have devastating consequences with some types of machinery.
There is a big, long list of things that could go wrong but instead of going through all the what if’s, wear the PPE as the guidance suggests. Protect your eyes, ears, and head most importantly.
Hire from a Reputable Company
There is a significant chance that if you were to go online and perform a quick browser search for heavy equipment hire options, the returned results would not be 100% reliable.
This is true of all things really, but when it comes to heavy equipment use like cherry picker hire, a reputable firm is the only viable option to ensure complete safety throughout. There should always be a hiring contract and essential safety protocol on offer.
Know What You Need for the Task at Hand
Do you need an excavator (visit this link for more info), or a roller? Do you know the difference? The research part of the hiring process is as important as any other, if not more. This is where you fine-tune what you need and why you need it.
Heavy equipment machinery companies will help with this and all queries, but it is always better to be prepared first by conducting your own research. Try to determine what your goal is, and which equipment will fit the task profile.
Do Not Move Outside of Your Comfort Zone
If you don’t feel confident operating the machinery, there is zero shame in taking a step back and handing it over to someone else on the team. Lots of these machines, when used in a construction commercial setting, require months of training and even certificates to become experts in how to use them.
There is a complicated scope, and if the project calls for a tricky task, it is essential that you understand your limits. The potential consequences for moving outside of your comfort zone in this context would be life-threatening, alongside the other risk of violating the project outcome.
Respect the Limits
Similarly, avoid pressuring the equipment to complete a task it is not capable of finishing. Everything has its limits, and you must respect the restrictions to avoid breaking the machinery (or yourself). Do not overwhelm yourself with too much weight and try not to get it stuck on any deep inclines.
Communicate with Your Surroundings
When in charge of any heavy equipment, it is imperative to know what is happening in the surrounding environment. Are there other workers, for example, that you need to be aware of? What is the terrain like? Are there any risks above or below? Until you have an insightful awareness of everything in the immediate vicinity, you should not begin the job.
Ensure It’s Shut Down Correctly
Finally, when the day has finished, make sure the equipment is powered down and secured! This is all too easy to miss when working on a home project or hiring independently. Yet, the dangers are very real if you forget. A part of this should also be to check over the machinery and look for any red flags such as flat tires, loose bolts, or cracks in the mechanisms.
Performing daily verification and quality assurance checks helps the general upkeep and maintenance of the machinery which will benefit both the equipment and the project in the long run.
Heavy equipment machinery is essential for many construction tasks. However, they require careful, considered operation to remain safe and functional. All operators must have appropriate PPE, awareness, and technical knowledge too to ensure optimum safety levels throughout the time of use.
