Industrial & Manufacturing Blog
The adjustable shovel found on a backhoe loader makes it a piece of heavy equipment that is uniquely suited for performing certain construction tasks. If your company finds the need to use backhoe loader for the first time, you will want to avoid these common mistakes.
There are several reasons why operators make mistakes that place themselves and others at risk. These include:
The Right Operators
The operator should ideally have prior experience operating a backhoe loader or should have undergone a training program. While there are no legal licensing requirements, having certification is a great qualification to use if you are hiring and seeking to limit the pool of applicants.
The Appropriate Attire
The operator should be wearing a hard hat, safety goggles, gloves and safety shoes. Also, when operating under dusty conditions, he or she should use a respirator.
Safety Devices
Fortunately, backhoe loaders come with may safety devices. For them to work, the operator must double-check them to make sure they are in good condition. Examples of safety devices include:
Guards
Backup warning systems
Rollover protection structures
Lights
Mirrors
Maintaining the Machine
Backhoe loaders are hydraulic machines that are powered using hydraulic oil. Make sure that you leave the hydraulic oil in the machine rather than changing it. Only change the oil if it has become degraded or if the oil or oil additive has become depleted. You cannot determine when your oil needs to be changed by the hours that the backhoe loader has been in service, but instead only by an oil analysis.
Backhoe loaders have detachable buckets. If these are not correctly attached to the backhoe loader, the bucket can become detached while in use, which can place other workers in danger. Therefore, they must always be double-checked prior to using the loader.
Operating the Backhoe Loader
Some operators will try to drive up or down a slope with a backhoe loader. Then, they turn too sharply, causing the backhoe loader to turn over. If the operator needs to turn the backhoe loader, the best place to do so is on level ground.
Like with most pieces of heavy equipment (available from companies like Rotating Services), the operator must pay careful attention his or her surroundings. There should be a second worker who is responsible for using a non-verbal communication system, such as hand signals, to guide the operator past any hazards and to keep other workers away from the loader.
Share4 June 2015
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