Haul trucks and other large surface mining vehicles are capable of destroying smaller vehicles that remain unseen by the operator, says the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).
The administration insists that traffic controls, training and avoiding distractions are crucial to improving safety, while collision warning and avoidance systems can also help.
Key Safety Practices:
- Communicate and verify with all equipment operators any planned movements and location upon entering or exiting a work area.
- Ensure all persons are trained to recognize workplace hazards. Specifically, train equipment operators on the limited visibility and blind spot areas that are inherent to the operation of large equipment. Do not drive or park smaller vehicles in mobile equipment's potential path of movement.
- Instruct all operators on the importance of using flags or strobe lights on the cabs of their vehicles to make haulage truck operators aware of their location. Flags must be high enough to be in the view of equipment operators.
- Install and maintain collision avoidance/warning technologies on mobile equipment.
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