Excavator Safety: Essential Tips for Before, During, and After Operation

Like any machine, excavators too require proper care and handling. We are here to share some useful tips for you to apply before, during, and after Excavator operations.

Excavator Safety Tips Prior Operating

• Tip 1: Call the area’s utility services to make the job site to help identify underground lines and structures.
• Tip 2: Check whether the mirrors are clean and positioned correctly.
• Tip 3: Check whether the seat belts are in place to ensure security.
• Tip 4: Check the controls and the propel system, and whether the levers are operating as they should.

Safety Tips While Operating the Excavator

• Tip 1: Do not permit an additional passenger to accompany the operator as the seat in the bucket, cab, or anywhere else is only meant for the operator. Also, the operator must not attempt to operate the excavator unless present in the seat with access to all controls.
• Tip 2: When moving the excavators on the job site, choose a flat route and steer the machine straight while only making gradual changes when needed. However, when working on rough or uneven terrain, be more cautious about the speed and try not to rush the operation. Furthermore, when on a slope, travel up vertically and not diagonally.
• Tip 3: When carrying the bucket during transport or propelling down a slope, bring it closer to the ground to maintain the visibility of the bucket and stability of the machine.
• Tip 4: Use the boom and arm to steer the machine on steep and slippery land. Extend the boom and arm when going up a steep slope. Then, when needed, lower the bucket and retract the arm to pull up the excavator. Furthermore, when steering the machine downward on a steep slope, position the bucket with its flat surface resting on the ground. Raise the boom and propel the machine while retracting the arm until the front of the tracks reaches ground level.
• Tip 5: When using an excavator for trenching, place dirt underneath the tracks to ensure the machine is leveled up properly. Establishing a proper level will make the trench vertical, preventing cave-ins. 
• Tip 6: Enhance the stability of the excavator by working with the propel motors to rear the machine.
• Tip 7: Keep soil piles away from the job site to prevent cave-ins. That said, if a cave-in has to be refilled, make sure to level the excavator tracks to a 90-degree angle to the excavation site with propel motors at the rear end of the machine.
• Tip 8: Dig a shelf to level the machine when using the excavators on a slope. Remove material from the upper slope to build up the lower slope and create a leveled surface.
• Tip 9: When on steep bench cuts, cut the upper bank enough to allow for adequate swing clearance when going down a slope.
• Tip 10: Do not dig under the excavator.
• Tip 11: Never swing the truck cab or bucket while loading trucks. Swinging it over the rear of the truck may cause loose materials to fall on the ground or in the bed.
• Tip 12: When clearing the bucket of any material during operations, do not strike it on the ground or against any object. Clean the bucket separately to avoid cross-contamination, and avoid scratching or damaging the surface with hard brushes. Instead, use soft brushes and clothes to do the job.

Excavator Safety Tips After Operations

• Tip 1: Once operations on the job site are concluded, shut down the excavator unit after parking it on a level surface. At this point, the bucket should be left close to the ground level.
• Tip 2: Parking an excavator is not a simple park-and-switch-off engine approach. One must turn off the idle switch and run the engine to half throttle without load. Do this for a few minutes until the turbocharger cools down.
• Tip 3: Run the engine at low idle for a few minutes to cool down the hot parts gradually. Doing this helps to extend the engine’s life.
• Tip 4: Lock the cab while exiting the equipment to prevent theft and prevent unauthorized people from entering and tampering with the controls.

You can increase the longevity of your excavator by making a habit of practicing these safety tips diligently.