Working on a construction site can be fulfilling work. You spend your days outside. You know that your work will help a business and the economy to grow. And you’ll even see the fruits of your labor on a daily basis when you pass by the finished site. But working on a construction site can also be dangerous, especially when you work on a site that involves a significant amount of excavation work. Even more so when you’re the operator of the excavation equipment.
That’s why it’s important for all construction workers who work on excavation sites to understand the importance of safety. You never know when your experience and your ability to judge a situation could save you or someone you work with from sustaining serious or even life threatening injuries.
Here are some of the most important things to keep in mind when you’re operating an excavator:
Attachments can affect the stability of your machine and you need to be able to handle the differences. Whenever you add an extension attachment to your excavator you are affecting the equilibrium of the machine. This will reduce your lift capacity and also increase your instability. This is also true of machines that are built with an extended arm. Breaking your machine’s arm during work due to miscalculations can result in serious injuries or the death of someone on the ground.
Know your lift capacity and stick to it, no matter what type of machine and extensions you are using. If you try to lift too much, you risk dumping the load early, breaking the arm, or in extreme situations, tipping the machine, all of which can lead to serious injuries or death.
Experience trumps everything else, even determination. Only experienced operators should use excavators on construction sites. An inexperienced operator may not understand all of the rules and safety guidelines associated with operating different classes of excavator. This general lack of knowledge can be, and often is, deadly.