Job hazard analysis: operating an excavator
Dig, load, and move an excavator on a work site.
- 4 steps
- 5 PPE items
- Editable in Reldro
The job hazard analysis
PPE required: Hard hat, Safety glasses, Gloves, Safety boots, High-visibility vest
1. Do the pre-start check
What could go wrong
Leaks, damage, and failed controls
How we control it
Complete the daily check. Don't operate a machine with a failed safety item; tag it out.
2. Set up
What could go wrong
Soft ground; overhead lines; underground services
How we control it
Check ground, overhead clearances, and service marks. Set up the exclusion zone for the swing.
3. Dig and load
What could go wrong
Striking people or structures; tipping; falling material
How we control it
Keep everyone outside the swing radius. Don't carry people. Keep the load low and the bucket close to the ground when you travel.
4. Travel and park
What could go wrong
Tipping on slopes; reversing into people
How we control it
Use a spotter. Park on level ground, lower the attachment, and remove the key.
- Only trained, authorized operators should run an excavator. Ground crew must stay in the operator's view.
When to use it
Use it for operators and ground crew, and review it when the site or the attachment changes.
Review it with the crew before the work starts, change anything that doesn't match how you'll do the job, and update it when the method, the equipment, or the site changes.
Use this JHA in Reldro
- It arrives ready to edit, and your crew uses it on their phone, even without signal.
- Failed items become corrective actions with an owner and a due date.
- Every completed one is kept with the site, the date and who did it.
