How to tackle the risks of earthmoving

While most research focuses on the type of work injuries that happen in construction, have you ever wondered what leads to some injuries being more severe than others? 

A recent study from the Journal of Safety Research found a range of factors had an impact on the severity of injuries, from non-fatal to fatal. And they prove insightful for construction companies keen to boost safety in the workplace. The study was particularly relevant for earthmoving because it focused on backhoes, bulldozers, excavators, and scrapers. It looked at equipment and human-related issues. 

Risk factors listed 

Here are the factors most likely to cause severe injuries: 

• Inadequate safety training 
• A missing component of the equipment protective system 
• Working as an equipment operator (particularly if seatbelts aren’t worn or are defective or the backup alarms don’t work) 

• Operating or being around poorly maintained equipment 
• Workers misjudging hazards 
• Operating equipment in reverse without an alarm 
• Backhoes and bulldozers 
• People being struck by or caught in between equipment 

• Workers being on foot had a higher injury risk, though equipment operators had the highest fatality risk 
• Inappropriate choice/use of equipment or method 
• The method or equipment used to handle materials 
• Blind spots, flying objects, exposure to flammable liquid, or electrocution. 

And add to that list excavation collapses. That’s front and centre in Safe Work Australia’s Model Code of Practice: Excavation Work. It describes excavation work as removing soil or rock from a site to create an open face, hole, or cavity. This includes trenches, shafts, and tunnels. As well, the code says excavating more than 1.5 metres or tunnelling is high-risk construction work, so needs a Safe Work Method Statement. 

Under workplace health and safety laws, people responsible for managing excavation risks, including those running a business or undertaking such work, plus designers, manufacturers, importers, suppliers of plant, substances, or structures. 

So, as the bulleted list above illustrates, there’s a lot that can go wrong. This article will cover how your company can minimise four main risks of earthmoving. 

Falling from equipment 

Queensland’s WorkSafe authority is still investigating an August 2020 accident involving a man allegedly doing maintenance on an earthmoving machine. He fell while exiting it and was seriously injured. In another case, an underground mine worker injured his back when he lost his footing getting out of an excavator just after his colleague had parked it near a ditch he hadn’t seen. 

Apart from exiting, the risks of falling from equipment include: 

• The plant contacting energised powerlines 
• The operator being thrown from the plant 
• Objects falling on the operator 
• The equipment colliding with people or objects such as other vehicles 
• The plant overturning. 

So, to minimise this risk, if you don’t have them, consider fitting after-market safety rails, roll-over, or fall protection equipment or systems. In certain situations, you might need to secure a fall protection point to the equipment and attach workers with a fall arrestor and safety harness. As well, equipment-specific and refresher training helps improve safety even for experienced workers. 

Maintaining equipment 

Keeping equipment well-maintained and in a good condition is another risk-minimising strategy. The Model Code of Practice says you should do as much as possible to ensure the earthmoving plant is only used for its designed purpose. These can include: 

• Powered mobile plant 
• Air compressors 

• Electric generators 
• Hydraulic jacks 
• Jackhammers 
• Oxyacetylene for gas cutting or welding, for example 
• Scaffolding 

• Ladders 
• The full gamut of manual gear such as shovels, picks, hammers, and pinch/lever bars. 

You must also factor in maintenance and take reasonable steps for anyone using your plant to follow its instructions and information regarding: 

• Safety features 
• Warning devices 

• Guarding 
• Operational controls 
• Emergency stop. 

Performing safety checks 

Each time a worker is about to switch on their earthmoving equipment, they should: 

• Visually scan the work area for hazards, including overhead powerlines, tree roots, or boulders 
• Be aware of ground conditions, particularly if surface water, mud, snow, or ice is about 
• Inspect their equipment for any signs of damage to tyres, wheels, hydraulic systems, or moving parts, as well as loose/missing bolts, pins, oil, or if there are coolant leaks 
• Check the brakes, the lights 
• Clean the windscreen and mirrors of dirt and debris. 

Having the right cover 

For the smooth running of your business, keep fiscally safe with a steady cashflow, and a solid marketing presence for a steady stream of return and new business. You’d know, too, that your plant is the lifeblood of your business, so ensure you protect it with the right cover. 

Mobile machinery insurance is a kind of industrial special plant cover tailor-made for earthmoving businesses. Don’t be tempted to insure mobile machinery and plant as motor vehicles. It will fall short if you need to recover damaged vehicles, hire alternative plant, employee damage due to misuse or protect your machinery while it’s on dry hire. That’s why it makes sense to talk to us to ensure your package of insurance policies is the best fit for your business over time