prevent

Using such heavy machinery as excavators can be dangerous. The bucket could fall off injuring someone. The excavator could trip over and crash. Or even the swinging arm of the machine could hit somebody.

This raises the safety concern. How safe is it to work with excavators? Well, while excavators cannot be done away with, safety measures can put in place to reduce the chances of accidents occurring. And should an accident happen then there should be appropriate safety procedure to contain it and prevent further damage.

We will highlight potential hazards, the possible triggers of accidents and explore measures to mitigate them. Then we shall see how to respond when an accident does happen.

Potential Hazards and Mitigation Measures.

Hazards related to Personnel operating the excavator.

Excavators are very technical machines requiring specialized knowledge and expertise to operate. In the hands of an incompetent person things could easily go out of hand. The solution is simply letting the experts do the work.

The operators should periodically undergo refresher safety training so that they are prepared for any eventuality. Failure to do so is hazardous.

The operators must strictly follow the manufacturer’s instruction and don’t override any without consulting the supervisor. Only recommended components like buckets should be used. Weight must be taken into account. Overloading could make it topple.

Hazards related to the working area.

Scope the surrounding for any potential hazards. Are there any overhead or underground water or power lines in the area? If there are, how far from the site are they? Get this clear to avoid damages and prevent hazards.

How is the terrain vis-a-vis the manufacturer’s recommendation?

The importance of factoring in these issues well before beginning the work is that you preempt any dangerous situations and come up with measures that will enable you go about the work safely.

The working site must also have appropriate warning signage and barricades to keep off unauthorized persons.

Hazards that relate to other people in the site.

There is a grave danger in people approaching the excavator while in operation. The operator incognizant of the person may unintentionally injure them.

Should there be need to approach the working radius of the machine, communication should be made to the operator. And only advance when the operator grants such permission.

Let other site workers be made aware of the excavator’s mode of operation so that they keep out of harm’s way. They will get to avoid blind spots and the swing arears of the excavator.

At no time should anyone be beneath the excavator with loads hanging over them.

Hazards related to the excavator.

You will agree with me other safety measures would be useless if the machine itself is not in good condition. This calls for frequent servicing maintenance to ensure it is good, working-worthy condition.

Its controls should be checked against a checklist and only allowed to begin work when confirmed to be in good condition. The safety measures also must confirmed to be in place.

For excavators that use tyres, the tyres must be in good condition and properly inflated for this has an impact in the overall stability of the excavator.

Responding To An Accident.

While measures are put in place to prevent accidents, from time to time accidents do occur. When an accident happens, first raise an alarm and call for help. Then assess the safety of the accident scene. If it is safe proceed and administer first aid as wait for professional help.

Think before buying your stationery

Students, artists , professionals and stationery lovers would like to pay attention to this. Students from architecture and design field spend more on stationery than anything else during their course. So before buying them you can check some minor details which will help you choose better.

Graphite lead pencils should be checked by looking at them from vertically upwards. The placement of the lead should be in the center. This prevents the pencil lead from breaking off easily while writing. Another very important aspect of a lead pencil is that it should be made up of uniform colored and textured wood. The same can be observed by looking at its base.

Rulers are another integral part of the lot. The edges of the ruler should be smooth. The plastic ruler should be used for construction and its calibrations could be checked of being at uniform intervals.

Clutch pencils are generally not used for drawing because line-weight cannot be emphasized using it. They are preferred for markings.

A paper cutter would be a better bargain instead of a sharpener as it helps prevent unnecessary loss of the pencil wood. In case of using a paper cutter, the tip can be sharpened without losing too much wooden part.

How to prevent smudging your drawing sheets?

Often while drawing the sheets are smudged and are definitely not presentable that way. There are certain precautions which can be helpful ; while sketching a sheet of paper should be kept beneath the working hand. This keeps the working area clean. Another technique can be of use. While using a plastic ruler a cello tape strip can be pasted on the rear side of the ruler. This prevents smudging while dragging it.
Little things do affect the neatness of your sheets. The rough side of the sheet should be used and brittle pencils should be avoided. While writing with the pencil you should keep rotating it so that the tip remains sharp for long, and thickness of lines are even; hence avoiding use of erasers.
Avoid eating and drawing simultaneously
Keep your pencils separately, not with other instruments.
Clean instruments before starting to work with them.
Use non dust erasers.

Potential Hazards And Safety Tips When Using Excavators

Tips on buying stationery and prevent smudging drawing sheets

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