Potential Site Hazards

Site hazards include

• Buried utilities – water, electrical, natural gas
• Overhead power lines
• Adjacent structures, equipment, or traffic
• Excessive debris, mud, or snow
• Limited vision / blind corners
• Excessive noise for long periods of time

Safe Operating

• Keep your feet on the pedals when operating the loader.
• Keep other people away from work area.
• Drive with caution and check behind you before backing up.
• Travel with the bucket or attachments as close to the ground as possible to maintain equipment stability and gives the operator an unobstructed view.
• Load the bucket evenly (i.e. weight should not be lopsided) and do not load beyond the limits or rated capacity of the equipment. You can lose stability and steering control.
• Load, unload, and turn on level ground.
• Go straight up and down slopes, keeping the heavy end of the loader pointing uphill – back down slopes slowly. Avoid driving forward when going downhill with a loaded bucket.
• Look out for holes, rocks or obstructions which may cause a roll-over or loss of control.
• If you become confused about the operation of controls from having to perform too many functions at once, remove hands and feet from the controls. All machine functions should stop when pressure on the controls is released.