The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that the leading causes of fatal injuries and deaths in the construction industry are accidents resulting from heavy equipment accidents. If you’re wondering what these are and why they happen, here are three common heavy equipment accidents you should know about.
Collisions
One of the most common accidents that occur on construction sites, warehouses, and all the places with heavy equipment is collisions. This usually happens if an operations site is small and doesn’t have significant space to efficiently accommodate a large amount of heavy equipment.
As a result, when heavy-duty transporters and lift decks operate together simultaneously, they tend to collide, especially when operators don’t have the training and knowledge to operate in challenging conditions. Collisions often result in material damage, injuries, and sometimes death.
Collapsed Loads
Another common accident that occurs resulting from improper handling of heavy equipment is the collapse of heavy loads. When workers exceed the load capacity on heavy equipment to save time and effort, they often put the load at risk of collapsing and resulting in horrific injuries.
Therefore, it’s crucial to keep the maximum load capacity of material handling equipment in mind and determine the best ways to load and unload equipment to carry, move, and haul it safely without risking anyone’s health and safety.
Falling Objects
Lastly, a significant risk involved in handling heavy equipment is falling objects. All material handling equipment comes with hooks, belts, and other devices to secure the loads before maneuvering them and carrying them to another location. However, failure to secure loads often results in falling objects.
This often results in head injuries or death if the objects are heavy and significantly fragile.
Accidents caused by heavy equipment can be incredibly disastrous and damaging to people’s health and safety if not handled properly. One thing that plays an incredible role in preventing these incidents is the efficient employment of heavy machinery lifting equipment and strategies for the automated handling of heavy loads.
Fortunately, you can now count on us at Hovair Systems to find all the solutions when it comes to getting your hands on premium-quality heavy load handling systems and ergonomic equipment moving systems. Some of our leading products include load leveling airbags, airlifting bags, car turntables, and more. Check out our products here or contact us to learn more today!