| Step | Potential Hazard | Control |
|---|---|---|
| Assess work area | Uneven terrain, overhead lines, underground utilities, traffic, unstable soil | Walk site; mark utilities; check for soft shoulders or slopes; establish work zone with cones or barricades; assign lookout if near traffic |
| Inspect excavator | Hydraulic leaks, cracked boom, worn tracks, malfunctioning controls, inoperative alarms | Perform full pre start inspection; test boom, stick, bucket, swing, tracks, lights, beacons, and backup alarm; remove unsafe equipment from service |
| Don required PPE | Eye injuries, struck by hazards, hearing risks | Wear all required PPE before entering machine or work zone |
| Mount and dismount safely | Slips, falls, grabbing hot or sharp surfaces | Use three points of contact; check steps for mud or ice; never jump from cab |
| Position excavator | Backing hazards, tipping on slopes, blind spots | Use spotter when backing or repositioning; operate on level ground when possible; avoid operating perpendicular to steep slopes |
| Establish swing radius exclusion zone | Struck by rotating upper structure, contact with bystanders | Mark boundary; restrict access; assign lookout to keep crew out of swing path |
| Begin digging operations | Striking utilities, bucket kickback, trench collapse | Dig slowly; maintain safe distance from marked utilities; bench or slope excavation if needed; keep workers out of trench during digging |
| Load trucks | Bucket striking truck, material dropping onto cab, poor communication | Use hand signals or radios; load from safe distance; never swing bucket over truck cab; keep spotter in view |
| Work near edges or trenches | Ground collapse, excavator tipping | Maintain proper setback from trench edges; use mats on soft ground; make shallow cuts; avoid overreaching with boom |
| Handle heavy or awkward loads | Load shifting, boom instability, tipping hazard | Use proper lifting points; avoid sudden movements; ensure load stays close to machine; lower load if stability is in question |
| Maintain communication | Miscommunication causing collisions or unsafe actions | Use dedicated radio channel or agreed hand signals; stop work if communication is lost |
| Shut down equipment | Unintentional movement, hot surfaces | Park on level ground; lower bucket to ground; idle briefly to cool hydraulics; shut off engine; remove key |
| Refuel and conduct post operation inspection | Fire hazard, burns, spills | Allow engine to cool; refuel in ventilated area; clean spills; inspect boom, bucket, and tracks for wear |
| Remove traffic control | Worker exposure to traffic during takedown | Remove cones and signs in reverse order; maintain lookout; keep PPE on until roadway is fully open |
Hard hat
Safety glasses
High visibility vest
Cut resistant gloves
Steel toe boots
Hearing protection
Long pants and long sleeves
Always have a complete, well-stocked first aid kit available.
JSA Category: Heavy Equipment Operations
* The steps, hazards, and controls displayed above may be incomplete or not suit your department's needs. All job safety analyses should be a completed with frontline worker input to ensure that each potential hazard is identified and mitigated.
Please read about The Essentials Elements of a Solid Job Safety Anaylsis here.
Thank you to our primary sponsor, Roadwurx, which is a simple asset management platform for small public works and road departments.
| Step | Potential Hazard | Control |
|---|---|---|
| Assess work area | Uneven terrain, overhead lines, underground utilities, traffic, unstable soil | Walk site; mark utilities; check for soft shoulders or slopes; establish work zone with cones or barricades; assign lookout if near traffic |
| Inspect excavator | Hydraulic leaks, cracked boom, worn tracks, malfunctioning controls, inoperative alarms | Perform full pre start inspection; test boom, stick, bucket, swing, tracks, lights, beacons, and backup alarm; remove unsafe equipment from service |
| Don required PPE | Eye injuries, struck by hazards, hearing risks | Wear all required PPE before entering machine or work zone |
| Mount and dismount safely | Slips, falls, grabbing hot or sharp surfaces | Use three points of contact; check steps for mud or ice; never jump from cab |
| Position excavator | Backing hazards, tipping on slopes, blind spots | Use spotter when backing or repositioning; operate on level ground when possible; avoid operating perpendicular to steep slopes |
| Establish swing radius exclusion zone | Struck by rotating upper structure, contact with bystanders | Mark boundary; restrict access; assign lookout to keep crew out of swing path |
| Begin digging operations | Striking utilities, bucket kickback, trench collapse | Dig slowly; maintain safe distance from marked utilities; bench or slope excavation if needed; keep workers out of trench during digging |
| Load trucks | Bucket striking truck, material dropping onto cab, poor communication | Use hand signals or radios; load from safe distance; never swing bucket over truck cab; keep spotter in view |
| Work near edges or trenches | Ground collapse, excavator tipping | Maintain proper setback from trench edges; use mats on soft ground; make shallow cuts; avoid overreaching with boom |
| Handle heavy or awkward loads | Load shifting, boom instability, tipping hazard | Use proper lifting points; avoid sudden movements; ensure load stays close to machine; lower load if stability is in question |
| Maintain communication | Miscommunication causing collisions or unsafe actions | Use dedicated radio channel or agreed hand signals; stop work if communication is lost |
| Shut down equipment | Unintentional movement, hot surfaces | Park on level ground; lower bucket to ground; idle briefly to cool hydraulics; shut off engine; remove key |
| Refuel and conduct post operation inspection | Fire hazard, burns, spills | Allow engine to cool; refuel in ventilated area; clean spills; inspect boom, bucket, and tracks for wear |
| Remove traffic control | Worker exposure to traffic during takedown | Remove cones and signs in reverse order; maintain lookout; keep PPE on until roadway is fully open |
Hard hat
Safety glasses
High visibility vest
Cut resistant gloves
Steel toe boots
Hearing protection
Long pants and long sleeves