Ground conditions

Operators not paying enough attention to ground conditions is a major cause of accidents with mobile plant. Under estimating the weight of their machines compared to the load bearing capacity of the surface or tip overs from unsafe ground occurs regularly.

Ground hazards include:

·      Sloping ground – Never ignore tilt alarms and always know your machines capacities and limitation. Check the data plate, decals or operator manual

·      Underground services – check for signage or site plans, use locators or pot holing, contact Dial before you dig (1100 or 1100.com.au)

·      Soft or unsupported ground – talk to a qualified engineer to get an engineer’s report. Relocate to better ground, use more packing (steel plates, timber, plastic pads or other suitable products to spread the weight over a larger area. Use pig sty – 90 degree stacking for each layer of packing)

·      Uneven ground – drive equipment with booms lowered and retracted and at slow speeds

·      Trenches – use the 1 metre away for every 1 metre deep rule. Further distances away for unstable ground

·      Slippery – clean up spills, use alternate routes

·      Obstacles – remove or find alternate routes

More information is available at www.flts.net.au, [email protected] or www.facebook.com/EWPTraing