Front - End Loader Safety (1981)

as our nation's consumption of metals and minerals continues to rise the mining and Milling Industries in an effort to meet this Rising need continue their drive for greater productivity but as often happens in Rapid industrial progress a big advance in One Direction sometimes results in a bigger setback in another in the case of Materials Handling and Hauling in surface mines production is increased with the introduction of larger capacity front end loaders and trucks but at the same time the number of operator incurred accidents is also increased [Music] nearly 1 half of the total surface mine and Mill fatalities that occur involve Hol Vehicles such as this front end loader from the operator standpoint the front-end loader has proved to be one of the most hazardous pieces of equipment being used in the mineral industry [Music] today although the primary cause of this accident was the operator losing control of the vehicle because of lack of training and experience with this particular type of loader the accident investigation disclosed other contributing factors excessive speed inadequate burm and operator's failure to wear a seat belt not wearing the belt greatly contributed to the severity of the accident turning what might have been an injury or less into a fatality [Music] in an emergency most operators will tend to act instinctively and reflexively and if they had previously operated another model with different controls they are very likely to find themselves confused and in trouble when trying to operate a new or different machine [Music] therefore it is important that front-end loaders be operated only by persons competently trained and authorized to handle the particular model being used it is also important that machines be used for the purpose for which they were designed unauthorized use and misuse of the front-end loader has accounted for an alarming number of fatalities for instance using a Dipper or bucket as a work stage or platform is not a safe practice [Music] [Music] [Music] another example of misuse of a front-end loader is that of pushing other vehicles an operator was fatally injured while steering a disabled front-end loader a second front-end loader was pushing against the counterweight of the first machine when the bucket slipped over over the top pinning the driver if a loader or other disabled mobile equipment cannot move under its own power or whenever Towing is necessary a rigid properly designed tow bar should be used still another recurring and hazardous example of equipment misuse is the unsafe practice of riding in the bucket of a front-end loader how about to ride in the shop sure hop in the law and good Common Sense tell us that men should not ride in buckets or Hol truck beds for the purpose of Transportation using the loader as a means of transporting men is usually asking for trouble [Music] lack of Common Sense leads to unsafe work practices which in turn is the leading cause of almost all mining accidents recently a front-end loader operator at an open open pit sand and gravel mine was involved in an accident that could only be classified as a case of dangerous work practice the front-end loader job was to load sand and gravel into trucks for holl to the construction site [Music] [Music] after loading a holly truck the loader operator moved his machine toward the highwall where sand and gravel was mined from a single 35 to 40t high bench either a bulldozer pushed the material down from the wall or it was allowed to Cave naturally the loose and unconsolidated high wall was not not sloped to the proper safe angle or Repose and therefore was [Music] dangerous company safety rulle specified that the high Banks be pushed down from above with a bulldozer and that material was not to be mined directly from the high wall with a front-end loader Federal Regulations also state that men shall not work near or under dangerous [Music] Banks the operator knew the company's safety rule against using the front-end loader for mining the highwall and he should have had enough common sense to stay away from a dangerous Bank [Music] [Music] unsafe dangerous work practices waste time damage equipment and above all risk human lives lack of training and experience are also serious contributing factors to many front-end loader accidents this was vividly brought out at one sand and gravel operation where a new employee was assigned to operate a front end loader a machine he had never used before okay Ron here's your starter switch your bucket controls this is your roll back this is your hoist your transmission forward reverse here's your gear shift on it you think you've got that the young man had had some experience as a truck driver and seemed mechanically inclined at handling Machinery so the pit Foreman instructed one of his more experienced heavy equipment operators to work with him until he was able to operate the front-end loader by himself okay go ahead and try it the heavy equipment operator who had never had formal instruction C or safety training on the equipment himself observe the new man operating the loader after watching briefly he left to return to his regular duties at another pit the new operator continued the job of feeding the [Music] [Music] hopper even though an individual at first appears confident when operating new equipment he may not always be sure of the control positions on the machine therefore at a critical moment he may through reflex action push the controls in the wrong wrong direction causing an accident this is the main reason for a thorough training program for drivers taking out equipment with which they are not [Music] familiar he seemed to be doing all right for a while when suddenly [Music] many of the mistakes he made his failure to maintain control of the vehicle operating too close to the edge of the ramp and cutting the wheels too sharply were due to lack of experience or training in frontend loader operation this accident also indicated some negligence on the part of the supervisor for assigning the man to a machine he wasn't trained or qualified to operate and for not seeing that adequate BMS were provided on the Outer Banks of elevated roadways elevated ramps or inclines leading up to dumping points are often sloped too steeply if the ramp was leveled off at the top for a distance of 1 and 1/2 the length of the loader and the angle of incline held to the recommended 10% maximum with sloping sides of 30° or less it would add to the operator's visibility manuverability and safety and if adequate BMS were constructed along the edges of the ramp the overall safety of dumping operations would be greatly increased you got your bucket in the air you don't want to travel with your bucket past investigations have pointed up the necessity for rollover protection and seat belts but most significantly they have emphasized the critical growing industrywide need for all mine and Mill Operators to establish a definite if effective continually functioning safety training program for their company and to make every effort to prevent accidents by having their employees actively participate in the program give you a little better protection that way keep you a large segment of our mining industry is dependent on the front-end loader therefore if accidents are to be prevented proper safety training and instruction of the operator is of the utmost importance and should be started now see