Safety Rules When Operating Heavy Machinery

When you are operating heavy machinery, essentially, if you are not being careful, you are risking your life and the lives of those around you. Large operating tools can take a life in a moment, if you are not constantly on your toes, abiding by strict safety laws.

Here are some ways that you can avoid injury and tragedy, and complete the work you need to while remaining safe. To begin with, there is the obvious rule-never operate farm machinery or any kind of heavy or dangerous equipment while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

This includes things you may not think are impairing, such as sleeping substances like Ambien, cold medicine like NyQuil, and any other kind of medicine that could make you drowsy or dizzy in any way. Even allergy medications can cause drowsiness-test the effects that all medications have on you before you use them in the workplace.

Using machines while these substances are in your system is just plain stupid, and can ruin your life, and the lives of others in an instant. Be safe, not sorry.

Next, make sure you read and understand the operating manuals for whatever equipment you are using. You will most likely and should be required to go through a training course or video series to make sure you are completely knowledgeable about your machine, and know how to be safe.

Make sure that you are wearing completely appropriate protective clothing. This could be coveralls, heavy work gloves, work boots, and eye or hearing protection.

These can literally save your life. Even if you think you are doing fine at the time, working without using the proper safety gear can cause permanent hearing or sight damage in the future.

Long hair should be secured in a manner that keeps it away from mechanical parts, such as under a hat or tied into a bun. Rotating parts can entangle loose clothing, long hair, or dangling jewelry faster than the victim can react to save it.

Next, the majority of farm machinery was designed to carry a single operator. Passengers should not be carried on tractors, combines, sprayers, etc., unless the machinery is new enough to come from the factory with an “instructor seat,” which is a seat to the side of the main operator’s chair, complete with a seat belt.

If you try to fit too many people, someone could easily fall or interfere with moving parts, and be killed, or damage the machine. If you are not the one operating the equipment, stand a safe distance away from it.

Equipment being refueled should have its engine turned off before refueling. Personnel should be instructed on how to properly refuel equipment; make sure you do periodic maintenance checks on the tank, pump, hose and nozzle, and abide by safety rules, such as not smoking when around the refueling area.

Whenever parking or leaving a piece of machinery for any length of time, even to check a malfunction, the motor should always be shut off, brakes engaged, the transmission in park-lock or in gear, keys removed, and any attachments disengaged and lowered to the ground. People can be seriously injured or killed being run over by improperly parked tractors, with or without the engine running.

Safety guards should always be in place when operating any piece of machinery. This includes power take-off (PTO) master shields, PTO driveline shields, auger throat shields, belt shields, chain guards, etc.

Due to the high level of noise associated with machinery, it is advisable to develop a system of hand signals to use during operation. A standard system of signals has been developed by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers-a copy of these signals is included in this safety program.

All implements and attachments should only be used in the proper manner for which they were designed. They should be disengaged, powered down, or lowered completely to the ground when a person is exiting or shutting down the tractor.

If a piece of equipment Levitra becomes clogged or jammed, never attempt to clean out the blockage until the machine is completely shut off and all moving parts come to a complete stop. There are countless more safety rules like these which you should study, memorize, and abide by on your own.

As you can see, by following these simple rules, you can protect yourself, and all those around you and your machines. Be extremely cautious, and you will not have to live a life filled with disability or regret.

Author Bio: ack R. Landry has used metalworking equipment for the last 11 years and written hundreds of articles about machine tools and the plate roll.

Contact Info:

Jack R. Landry

JackRLandry@gmail.com

http://www.jorgensonmachinetools.com/new-equipment/plate-rolls

Category: Personal Development/Advice
Keywords: Plate Roll

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