vehicle/equipment maintenance blocking, cribbing ...lifting? lifting or ... never solely rely upon...
TRANSCRIPT
Vehicle/Equipment Maintenance
Blocking, Cribbing, & Bracing
Lock Out / Tag Out (LOTO)
General Best Practices
Be Prepared! Farming/Agricultural industries
can be unpredictable.
Use the correct equipment for the job! Do
not use an inappropriate tool just because it
is readily available.
Take the time to get the right
tool/equipment.
Does your equipment/vehicles have the new SMV (Slow Moving Vehicle) signs? Are they visible and in good working order?
Due to the new IOH (Implement of Husbandry) rules as of Nov. 1st 2015 all SMV’s must have red retro reflective outside with a hi visibility orange inside portion.
Does your equipment have this?
Make sure it does!
Lighting – Does your equipment have the
proper and correct lighting and markings?
Beacons, flashers, road lights, magnetic
lights? Daytime and reflective night time
markings?
Look into the new IOH laws to make sure
your company/equipment is compliant.
Shields and fixed guards – Are these intact
and in working order?
PTO Shields – There installed for a reason!
Is fixed guarding in place on and around
oscillating and rotating parts?
Seat belts and ROPS (Roll Over Protective
Structures)
All open cab tractors should have these two
items, older model tractors can be
retrofitted!
Research shows that when used in
combination, seat belts/ROPS are 98%
effective in preventing death and serious
injury in the event of a tractor roll over.
General checks and inspections……
High pressure hydraulic hoses and fittings
Remote and rear view cameras – Working?
Mirrors/window condition
Seat belt condition
Wheel bearings
Steering/tie rods
Brakes
Load securing chains and straps
Equipment with cabs – Does the heating and air conditioning work?
When parking equipment such as tractors and skid steers make sure the loaders and implements are not suspended in the air!
Kids love to play with equipment
Unless the equipment has electro-hydraulic values (most compact tractors have mechanical valves), the loader/implement will drop when the levers are
pulled!
LOTO
Many Farmers/Companies count on their vehicles and
equipment to be in top-notch condition. After all, life is
good at work when your machines are running smoothly.
But, all good things come to an end, and you can count on
your equipment needing service, maintenance, and repairs
from time to time
You want to keep downtime to a minimum, however, and
workers can be tempted to make a quick fix without
making absolutely sure the equipment won’t start up or
release stored energy during the repair. If it does start up,
there can easily be a serious injury or a death. That’s the
reason for having lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures.
OSHA’s Lockout/Tagout Standard
The Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) regulates
lockout/tagout through the Control of
Hazardous Energy standard, found at 29
CFR §1910.147. This standard mandates
training, audits, and recordkeeping to
ensure that workers will not be
unintentionally injured by the unexpected
energization, start-up, or release of
electrical, mechanical, hydraulic,
pneumatic, chemical, thermal, or any
other type of energy
Does It Apply to Vehicle
Servicing and Maintenance?
Yes, it does. Accidents have occurred and
continue to occur from inadequate hazardous
energy control during vehicle/equipment
servicing and maintenance activities.
The standard includes any and all vehicles
including tractors and agricultural equipment
Controlling Hazardous Energy on Vehicles
The OSHA standard’s coverage includes vehicles, such as, but not limited to, automobiles, trucks, tractors, refrigeration transport vehicles, and material handling equipment.
For purposes of vehicle servicing and maintenance, hazardous energy refers to: Mechanical motion Potential energy due to pressure, gravity, or
springs; Battery-generated electrical energy; Thermal energy, including chemical energy; and Other forms of energy, which can cause injury to
employees working in, on, or around machines or equipment
Energy Control Program
OSHA’s 29 CFR 1910.147 standard
requires employers to develop an
energy control program:
That is tailored to the
workplace/equipment, and
Will protect employees performing
servicing and maintenance tasks from
the release of hazardous energy.
Removing the Ignition Key
Due to the nature and unique aspects of vehicle maintenance and servicing activities, you must take feasible measures to prevent an engine from being started.
However, the simple control step of removing the ignition key may not, in all cases, adequately control other types of vehicle hazardous energy, such as is the case with the positioning of the vehicle or its components (e.g., buckets, booms, blades, attachments/implements). These and other hazards require careful evaluation and selection of additional hazard-specific control measures.
Manufacturers’ Servicing and Maintenance Guidelines
It is essential for employers to consult
with and incorporate specific vehicle manufacturer servicing and maintenance guidelines (e.g., operating manuals and bulletins) and other relevant materials to establish the hazardous energy control procedures. These manuals and materials often provide specific step-by-step instructions on how to safely perform servicing or maintenance tasks.
Troubleshooting, Testing, and Component Positioning
There are circumstances when it is
necessary to re-energize the vehicle or a component to accomplish a particular task (e.g., diagnostic testing; maintenance troubleshooting; vehicle or component positioning). OSHA does allow energization for testing or positioning purposes, as specified in §1910.147(f)(1), but only for the limited time during which it is necessary to test or reposition the vehicle or component.
Working Safely
Employers/farmers to develop
LOTO procedures and to have
workers follow them. If you cut
corners on these procedures, the
result is likely to be equipment
downtime, accidents, OSHA
inspections and citations, and,
possibly, employee fatalities.
Why is safety such an important issue when
lifting?
Lifting or applying loads is dangerous work.
Failure of any component can result in
failure of the lift. Loads can be dropped
causing damage to the equipment, facilities,
and even the worker.
Agricultural equipment is often large and
uniquely shaped
Service work often requires this equipment
to be lifted and/or suspended to safely
perform the task.
Never solely rely upon equipments hydraulic
system to keep raised equipment suspended.
Don’t be lulled into forgetting that any
lifting tool can potentially fail!
Several different pieces of lifting equipment
that can be used to perform lifts.
Make sure your lifting equipment has a data
capacity plate, or tag. Choose the right tool
for the job!
NEVER EXCEED THE CAPACITY OF YOUR
LIFTING EQUIPMENT!
Blocking – to support, strengthen, or keep in
place by means of a block.
Cribbing – a type of support or block which is
created by alternating multiple timbers or
other supports.
Cribbing is used when equipment must be
supported at heights greater than blocking
can provide.
Jack stands are the best equipment for
blocking.
Rule of thumb for blocking
devices…blocking height should never be
taller than twice the width of the blocking
base.
Other blocking safety measures should be
taken especially when dealing with hydraulic
cylinders. LOTO needs to be practiced.
Load locks should be put on hydraulic
cylinders to avoid settling and the release of
hazardous energy.
All skid steer manufacturers are including
boom locks or safety pins on their skid
steers.
Use suitable timbers when creating a crib for
equipment. For large agricultural equipment
nothing smaller than 4” x 4” material should
be used.
A firm and level surface is paramount for
cribbing. The first layers are extremely
important!
Slings/straps, chain, and wire rope are common
items used when lifts are performed.
When rigging consider the loads weight, center
of gravity, pickup points, and structural integrity.
Use a stabilizing line if necessary!
Visually inspect all lift equipment prior to using
it!
Sling/Chain use – 29 CFR 1910.184
Wire rope is rarely used because it frays
easily and can create dangerous energy if it
snaps.
Nylon straps are chosen over wire for ease of
use and to protect the load.
Straps – Straps are chosen when moving or
lifting fragile, expensive, polished, or odd
shaped items.
Straps conform to your lifting object, this
secures the object so it does not slip
Straps can be multiple ply and can elongate
or stretch 6% to 8%
Straps can also handle different work load
limits depending on the technique used
Watch out for signs of wear near stress points
on straps.
Also use pads on straps when lifting objects
with sharp corners
Chain – the size, grade, and material of chain
correlates with its work load limit.
Chain can be used for a variety of functions
Like all other lifting devices and equipment,
it is important to never exceed the work load
limit of chain.
Before using chain for any type of lifting – make sure you have the right size and grade chain for the job!
5 different grade of chain
Grade 30 – Low carbon steel – dog chain
Grade 40/43 – Boat anchors, windlasses
Grade 70 – Transport / die down chain
Grade 80 – Alloy steel – lift chain
Grade 100 – Heat tempered high strength lift chain
Grade 80 and 100 lift chain must meet strict
standards – it must be break tested, fatigue
tested, and x-rayed
If it meets standards it will be tagged stating
size, grade, and work load rating
Lift chain can be engineered
in a variety of different formations
to suit every need.
ALL LIFT CHAIN SHOULD BE
TAGGED WITH A VISIBLE
WORKING LOAD LIMIT!
Inspect any chain that you may use before
each use!
Look for wear on the inside of the links, also
look for any deformed links
Make sure you use the right tools for the job!
Inspect, inspect, inspect…take the time to
visually inspect all your equipment prior to
using it.
Follow work load limits and data capacity
tags on your lifting equipment.
If you don’t know how much your load
weighs or it you don’t know what your chain
or straps work load limit is…don’t perform
the lift.
If you need this information, contact the
manufacturer.
Use common sense…don’t take chances!
Common culprits – tool boxes, empty boxes,
work benches, spare parts, forklifts,
creepers, air hoses, electrical cords
Remember to lift with your legs and not your
back!
Use the lifting equipment that is available
and ask for help.
The shape of an object is
sometimes more of an issue than
the weight, use lifting aids!
All abrasive wheels should be inspected
before each use for wear and cracks.
This is also a great time to adjust guards and
tool rests!
Pedestal and bench grinders need to be
mounted.
Wearing jewelry, loose clothing, or having
long hair around rotating and oscillating tools
is extremely dangerous.
Fingers and limbs can potentially be severed
if caution is not taken.
Several deaths occur each year due to
entanglement.
Make sure any cords with exposed electrical
wires are replaced. This includes cords with
cracks, nicks, cuts, etc.
Cord ends often times need to be replaced
due to exposed wires and broken ground
plugs.
Shops should not have any unidentified
material in pails, buckets, or totes.
If you have waste materials, find a large
storage container for them to consolidate.
Use a ladder when necessary, do not use or
stand on boxes, pallets, tires, etc.
Inspect the ladder before each use and never
use the top step.
Select the right tool for the job! Especially
when it comes to hand tools.
Tasks can get accomplished by many
different tools, but which is the safest?
Make sure all used oils, gas, diesel, etc. are
cleared out of the way before beginning any
hot work.
Keep equipment clean, especially hoses!
Keep limited combustibles near your work
station.