Ground hazards include:
• Sloping ground – Never ignore tilt alarms and always know your machines capacities and limitation. Check the data plate, decals or operator manual
• Underground services – check for signage or site plans, use locators or pot holing, contact Dial before you dig (1100 or 1100.com.au)
• Soft or unsupported ground – talk to a qualified engineer to get an engineer’s report. Relocate to better ground, use more packing (steel plates, timber, plastic pads or other suitable products to spread the weight over a larger area. Use pig sty – 90 degree stacking for each layer of packing)
• Uneven ground – drive equipment with booms lowered and retracted and at slow speeds
• Trenches – use the 1 metre away for every 1 metre deep rule. Further distances away for unstable ground
• Slippery – clean up spills, use alternate routes
• Obstacles – remove or find alternate routes
