Dangerous Industrial Machines Around Your Worksite

Taking a quick look around the average industrial or construction worksite, you can probably find several different kinds of heavy machinery, industrial equipment, and construction vehicles. While industrial machines are meant to make life easier for workers throughout a project, they can make a worksite far more dangerous when operated incorrectly or negligently. To stay safe around your jobsite, be extra careful whenever you are near some of the most problematic and dangerous heavy machines.

Cranes & Falling Object Hazards

Lifting heavy objects around a construction site can be devastating to a worker’s back. Cranes are instrumental in increasing a team’s efficiency while sparing them from having to haul equipment around. No matter how effective a crane can be when used properly, it can pose one of the worst jobsite dangers when used unsafely. Failing to secure the lifted cargo, swinging the boom erratically, and overloading the crane can cause objects to drop from great heights, crushing and possibly killing workers below.

Bulldozers & Crush Dangers

According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) information, bulldozers are involved in about 20% of all construction site accidents involving industrial equipment, machinery, or vehicles. The size and strength of a bulldozer make them a hazard when operated by an inexperienced worker. However, bulldozers can be difficult to steer safely for even veteran construction workers due to their unusual handling and cabin designs that can limit the operator’s line of sight.

Excavators & Struck-By Accidents

An excavator has the unique design to spin 360-degrees, which lets the operator reach the boom in a wide circle around them. Excavators are must-haves for most projects that require the clearing of a large area with debris and heavy objects. The clever spinning design of an excavator can be the cause of a workplace accident, though. The boom can be rotated fairly quickly, which might surprise the operator and others who are expecting the industrial vehicle to move slowly due to its size. Without care, the bucket or the boom can strike a worker in the head as it swivels, potentially causing a serious head injury.

Backhoes & Operator Errors

Combining a bulldozer and an excavator will essentially create a backhoe, which has a bucket and boom on one side and a loader on the other. Backhoes give operators many of the advantages of both other types of heavy machinery, but they can also bring all of the dangers. An inexperienced operator might struggle to steer a backhoe safely, and they could even accidentally drive it in reverse when intended to go forward, and vice versa.

Dump Trucks & Dangerous Inattention

For the quick disposal of junk, debris, and other refuse around an industrial worksite, dump trucks are a must. Tons of junk can be hauled at once, which can be a problem if the dump truck driver is not used to handling such a massive and heavy vehicle. Inattention can be deadly around a dump truck, too. Workers need to stay well away from the back end of a dump truck, which can tip and drop debris on them, sometimes with little warning.