Some of you might be asking yourself… What is a front-end loader? It is a motorized vehicle designed to move earth (& other materials) with a bucket on the front.
Safety Tips:
In today’s post, I just want to go over some of the safety procedures you should be exercising while working in and around a front loader. Here are 19 tips to keep you and your employees safe:
- Never walk or work under a raised loader
- Loader operators should wear their seat belts at all times, regardless of the task that is being done
- Raise and lower loader arms slowly and steadily
- All loaders should have roll-over protective structures (ROPS). ROPS can either be a protective enclosed cab or a roll bar with a canopy
- Allow for the extra length of the loader when making turns
- Take extra precaution when handling loose loads
- Never move or swing a load while people are in the work area
- Extending the tines of a loader may look like a good way to solve the loading problem, but when this is done, the tractor’s center of gravity is moved forward. Extra stress is placed on the loader, the hydraulic system, and the tractor front end
- Be certain anyone operating the loader is aware of safe operating practices and potential hazards
- Before disconnecting hydraulic lines, relieve all hydraulic pressure
- Stay away from the outer edge when working along high banks and slopes
- Watch for overhead wires and obstacles when you raise the loader
- Travel with the load low to the ground and watch for obstructions on the ground
- Operate the loader from the operator’s seat only
- Under pressure, escaping hydraulic oil can have sufficient force to penetrate the skin, causing serious personal injury. Injuries resulting from oil penetrating the skin are very difficult to treat. Use a piece of cardboard or paper to check for pinhole leaks
- Visually check for hydraulic leaks and broken missing or malfunctioning parts, then make necessary repairs
- Lower the loader when parking or servicing
- Do not lift or carry anyone on the loader, bucket, or attachments
- Remember #2? Well, I’ll say this again… The operator must wear a seatbelt!
- Finally… obey all posted speed limits. Most yards are 5mph.
I want to leave you with one last item to be on the lookout for: Operators with the potential for exposure to hazardous materials including carbon monoxide, toxic fumes, and particulates or nuisance dust must have their exposure assessed and monitored following the location’s written exposure management program. Consult the applicable industrial hygiene guides for current exposure limits, monitoring methods, and exposure reduction options.
Potential Hazards Associated With Front Loaders
There are many hazards associated with front loaders. My advice is to do a proper hazard risk assessment for each job that will require the use of the front loader. You also need to make sure you cover all aspects of that job. Look for the following as a bare minimum:
- Dust
- Exhaust Fumes
- Falls
- Falling Materials
- Fire
- Rollover
- Fuel Vapors
- Moving Parts
- Noise
- Pinch Points
- Oil, Fuel, Motor & Hydraulic Fluids
This list is just an example.
Guarding/Shielding:
The operator’s cab should be guarded or shielded against flying materials impact. Moving mechanical components should be guarded to prevent accidental contact. End loaders used to charge a furnace should have either a safety glass or wire mesh shield in front of the operator and a solid roof. Fuel tanks, hydraulic lines, and valves should be guarded to prevent impact by materials, objects, equipment, or people.
Personal Protective Equipment:
The last thing I want to leave you with is PPE. PPE is always a last resort and should not be in place of other safety mechanisms. Most of the time, you’re operators and those working around the front loader should be wearing hard hats, safety glasses, steel-toed shoes with a steel shank, gloves, and respirators (if needed). This is your minimum requirement.
That’s it for this Weeks Safety Share on Front Loader Safety. If you liked this post, leave us a comment below. While you’re at it, let us know what else you’d like to see. Thanks for hanging out with us today!