- What opportunities for improvement would you suggest to avoid having a person and a vehicle/machine work in each other’s sphere of operation?
- How effective is the collaboration between you and the machine operator?
During this toolbox meeting we devote attention to reducing the danger of collisions by adhering to the ‘Step-by-step plan for reducing collision hazards’ with seeing others and being seen as the last step.
Unfortunately, there are accidents involving mobile work equipment, on roadways and on construction sites. Often the cause is that road users, operators and personnel at work in the area could not see each other very well.
Project site
Machines with a large operating range are often located on a project site. Furthermore, there are always some employees working in the immediate environment of these machines. There is a chance that they will be hit by mobile equipment or by the bucket of a crane. When this happens, the injury is often serious.
Public roads
Work regularly takes place on public roads. Employees or other road users can then be hit as well.
Prevent the risk of a collision by as much as possible avoiding a vehicle/machine and a person from working at the same place at the same time. Follow the ‘Step-by-step plan for reducing collision hazards’ for this purpose.
Always know where your colleagues are:
- Do not enter the turning/driving range of a crane.
- Ensure that you are seen, wear high-visibility clothing and make eye contact with the driver.
- Make additional agreements when cameras have replaced the mirrors. Eye contact via mirrors is not possible.
- Tell the machine operator/driver what you are going to do and where you are going to do that.
- Inform your colleagues when you are going to relocate the machine.
Always know where other road users are:
- Ensure you are able to see other road users clearly
- Ensure that road users can also see you clearly
Ensure you have a clear view:
- Adjust your mirrors properly before you start driving
- If a mirror is defective or damaged, have it repaired
- Make use of the machine’s cameras when these are available
- Ensure that the windows are clean
- Take a cloth along so that you can regularly clean the windows
- Check to ensure that the windshield wipers are working properly and replace the wiper blades when necessary
- Regularly check the windshield washer fluid level
- Use anti-condensation spray if your windows fog up frequently