Machinery manufacturers and users must apply all possible technical and organizational measures to ensure that safety objectives are met by all equipment users. To avoid accidents and even loss of lives all due diligence must be exercised in design and usage of construction equipments. A thorough risk assessment must be done, considering the safety of equipments for intended use and reasonably foreseeable misuse, and safety procedures and features developed from this risk assessment.
Safety Measures by the Manufactures
Equipment manufacturers are obligated to eliminate hazards and reduce the associated risks by applying safety as follows.
Inherently Safe Design
This is the most efficient risk reducing measure and involves hazard reduction through the right choice of machine design features. It also involves minimizing exposure to hazards by reducing the necessary interventions with the danger zones.
Safe Guarding
The hazards that cannot be eliminated through safe design approach are avoided through use of the appropriate protective devices. Guards create a physical protective barrier between human and the dangerous mechanical part of the machine.
Use of protective devices
These are used where guards are not practical to use. These devices include opto electric devices and pressure sensitive devices.
Construction equipments are some of the most powerful machines and due to these formidable abilities; they can be very dangerous in usage. There is need for all safety elements discussed above to be considered in construction and usage. Some of the safety elements of equipments from the Apollo carmix company include;
Concrete Mixers
The Self loading concrete mixer is made with strong and sturdy frame and operating parts that are well concealed to ensure safety during operation. The concrete mixers and transit mixers have improved ergonomics for driving and operating positions to eliminate unnecessary fatigue that can lead to accidents.
Dumpers
The use of Dumpers in the construction site can also pose health and safety risk. Due to the nature of work, dumpers from Apollo carmix are made in sturdy design to withstand the rigorous workloads without the risk of Malfunctioning during operation, which can lead to accidents. Some safety considerations in dumpers include firm attachment of the driver’s seat to equipment body, proper and high quality seat belts, strong and efficient hand brakes and braking system, effective warning devices, tipping controls and signals.
In the concrete mixing processes, there are potential hazards for workers related to eye, skin and respiratory tract irritation due to exposure to cement dust. Adequate protection must be made in the cement handling machinery such as the carsilos to eliminate the risk of these hazards from occurring. Improved automation in the carsilos and dry batching plants, such as automated release systems, sufficient vibration systems and proper safe guarding goes a long way in ensuring that these equipments are safe for usage.
The Slipform Paver
The Slip form paver is important equipment in infrastructural development. Over time there has been a good amount of automation in this equipment therefore reducing that human interaction with the machine and enhancing safety. Concrete safety barriers can be installed on right and left hand side of the equipment to also increase the safety of the operator.