How to Avoid Compromising Your Safety As You Use a Rented Excavator
Many homeowners can easily operate excavators, such as mini excavators, during the execution of a home improvement project. However, some homeowners may not know to implement the safety measures that a seasoned excavator operator pays attention to. Consequently, the safety of the homeowner may be compromised by his or her laxity or limited knowledge on matters of excavator safety. This article discusses some precautions that you should keep in mind when you decide to operate an excavator during a home improvement project.
Know the Load Limits of the Equipment
Many pieces of earthmoving equipment, such as excavators, have safe load limits that the equipment can carry or push/pull. Safety risks usually arise when an operator exceeds those load limits, whether deliberately or inadvertently. Do not be one of the victims of an overloaded excavator that tips over. Confirm the load limits of the equipment and never overload the excavator bucket.
Know When to Exit the Excavator
There is a temptation for homeowners to exit an excavator quickly after completing their work for the day. That eagerness to leave may cause them to neglect the safety steps that should be kept in mind when exiting the earthmoving equipment that you have been using. For instance, it is very risky to exit the excavator when the engine is still running. This is because the excavator may move and crush you if you accidentally forgot to disengage the controls that command the excavator to move forward or backwards. You should therefore remember to disengage all the controls and turn off the engine before you step out of the excavator.
Watch the Position of the Bucket
Some excavator accidents occur when inexperienced homeowners lift a loaded excavator bucket to a risky height as they move the load from one location to another. For instance, the homeowner may lift the bucket so high that it hits an overhead electric line that he or she had forgotten. Alternatively, the loaded bucket may be so high that the excavator loses its balance as it goes down a slope. Such mistakes can cause serious injuries. Avoid such accidents by keeping a loaded excavator bucket as close to the ground as possible. This will keep the excavator stable because its center of gravity will remain low.
The ease of operating an excavator should not blind you to the fact that any earthmoving equipment is potentially dangerous to the operator and those nearby. Use the safety tips above to ensure that the power of the machine works for you rather than against you. Click to read more about construction equipment.