Safely Repairing Large, Mobile Equipment

Keeping A Safe Vehicle Cab – For Surface Mine Heavy Machinery Operators

By:  The Mine Safety Institute, Task Training

Special Safety Precautions When Repairing Large, Mobile Equipment

The bigger they are the more dangers they create.

There are many more safety considerations to keep aware of when servicing large, mobile equipment. From arms and buckets that need to be lowered and secured, to above ground repairs that create a fall risk. Even the tires, due to their enormity, can be a danger to everyone nearby if they blow. or have a sudden loss of air pressure.

Below are just a few of the things to keep in mind when servicing large, mobile equipment.

• Respect load weight limits.
• Use jacks stands rated for twice the load weight they are supporting.
• Always use jack stands so that if a load comes down it lands on them and not you.
• Make sure that jacks and jack stands are against a level surface.
• Lower and lock arms and bucket and make sure that they are included in the equal distribution of load weight.

• Large equipment often requires above ground repairs.
• Even a small fall can cause serious injury.
• Always wear safety lines and harnesses, or other fall protection, when doing an above ground repair — of any height — on a large mobile vehicle.

• Pressurized air suddenly released from a large tire can throw a person across a room or a rim at anyone in its trajectory.
• Use remote-controlled inflation devices to add air if no one is in its trajectory.
• Use a tire restraining device/barrier when inflating. The device must be min rated for the force of 150% of the max tire pressure on the vehicle.
• Upon inflation, inspect the tire while still in the restraining device/barrier.