Any excavator injuries or accidents falling from a machine

[Hopuser]

Just looking for any info we got inspected and cited for a maintenance person checking the oil? He wasn't maintaining three points of contact. he was standing on the machine (CAT 315) sounds like they want handrails and gaurds on the top of the machine, imagine that!

[CM1995]

Was it OSHA or MSHA that cited?

[Hopuser]

Msha

[Lee-online]

MSHA rule state you need handrails or you need to be tied off when 6' off the ground.

MSHA guys are trying to hammer everyone for any reason. If we see them and it is possible, we leave. They can search our service trucks and guarantee they will gig us on something.

[Dualie]

Some of these rules are ridiculous. pretty soon they are going to want you to use an articulated boom lift to clean the glass.

[CM1995]

Don't give them any ideas Dualie...

[RDG]

Over here in Oz a lot of excavators have hand rails on the top, some jobs they wont let u on with out them as well u have to have all the service records for repairs and servicing avialable. The stuff they hang on dozers and graders, scrapers etc in the mines over here is absoluley crazy, gets to the point where lack of vision would be more of a danger than falling off.

[John C.]

Last I worked in a mine the engineer we had made those jerks provide the written regulation when they wrote the ticket. We were cited one time for not having light plants in the pit when working at night. Turns out the flood lights on the loader provided adequate lighting. MSHA had to pull an administrative law judge out of Denver when we fought the fine and we won.

I've seen hand rails on 345 or PC400 and larger. I think you might have something to argue on handrails for a 315. What series is it. On the B and C models you have to forward of the engine and in the middle of the machine to pull the dipstick. Do you have to be on the counterweight to check yours.

[dingo]

we get around that rubbish by parking themachine in a ditch. that way when you on top working your not 6 feet above the ground. the safety nazi hated us for it but nothing she could do.

[Dinale Precast]

I'll have to try and find the photo, but there is one of me working less than 2feet off the ground in a knuckle lift with the full safety gear on. Thats what happens when they have a blanket no ladder rule on site.

[Blacksmoke07]

Haha dingo, thats awsome! Thats the way to do it!

[dirty4fun]

Everyone wants to work safely, but this stuff gets way out of hand. We are over regulated and it will only get worse, I am afraid. The government can't control themselves but want to make rules that we must abide by, that are pure stupid.

[rare ss]

some examples of railing we have had to put on over the last few years

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../280510010.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ax-300x159.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...9012010001.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...s/30102009.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...chi3600015.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...2081017-00.jpg

Handrails are just the norm these days, we have to put them around trays of trucks and trailer and they are even wanting to see them around low loaders for safe access

where possible we try and design the machine/truck without the need to access high areas, in the past we have had to have handrails onthe top of service trucks and water trucks, the latest one we have moved everything inside access compartments on the side of the tanks so there no need to go on the top

It does get silly, we not run D11T's with full folding step ladder access from ground to cabin to get into the cab, but you still have to climb up the track to check the oils so whats the point of it in the first place

[JimBruce42]

Somebody say handrails?

http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/4806/dsc01857g.jpg

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/398/dsc01496b.jpg

[xrlentau6]

Just so happens that the job I am on needs hand rails around the machine, we had to leave all the companies diggers in the yard and hire machines up here so that meet all the mine safety specs.

Thats only the half of it, once you try to start work you nearly carn't. No machines over a trench, dont leave your machine running if you get out the cab etc etc.