Operator mistakes are the most common causes of equipment downtime and expensive repairs. In order to avoid higher machine costs, both operators and supervisors have to understand what creates dangerous working environments, recognize equipment irregularities, and know what to look for during daily walkaround inspections.
To help you avoid machine downtime, here are some key heavy equipment operator training tips to follow.
Conducting a walkaround inspection of all your equipment is critical to preventing costly service and machine downtime. A careful check will help you catch small issues before they turn into larger, much more expensive and potentially dangerous problems. If your operators notice any irregularities, they should report them immediately and not use the machine until they are resolved.
Your inspection should include:
It’s important for you and your operators to always be alert for anything that looks or sounds abnormal with your machines. They should be able to recognize inappropriate noises or smells, the signs of intermittent electrical failure, cracks or other indications of impending breakage, and anything else that is “off” with your equipment that could be a sign of a serious issue.
A key part of heavy equipment operator training and preventing downtime is understanding your machine’s limits. Swinging loads too fast or not orientating the undercarriage correctly on a slope can lead to tipping and extremely dangerous situations on the jobsite. Before setting foot in your machine, operators need to know how to transport loads carefully, including following appropriate speed limits and never exceeding the working range or lifting capacity of their equipment. It’s also critical to keep your machine as level as possible when working on any type of job.
A leading cause of injury or death involving machines like CTLs, skid steers, or excavators is hitting or crushing someone with their moving parts. Buckets and other attachments can unexpectedly lower or loads can be dropped without notice. It’s important to never start the machine or make adjustments from outside the cab, and don’t allow people to walk under raised arms. These lessons need to be stressed during heavy equipment operator training.
Falling off of an excavator, CTL, skid steer, dozer, or other machine can result in serious injury or death. Never lift the hydraulics or drive a piece of equipment with another person riding along the outside of it.
If you have any questions about heavy equipment operator training, or preventing machine downtime and dangerous jobsite conditions, contact our team today!
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