Mobile plant – such as forklifts, elevating work platforms, delivery vehicles, order pickers, earth moving equipment, prime movers and cranes – have the potential to seriously injure or kill people, if and when they run into them on site.
In 2022 alone, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 22 people were killed after being struck by a moving vehicle and 15 were killed after coming into contact with moving machinery.
“Each year within the construction industry, approximately 10 people die as a result of being struck by vehicles on site,” reveals the HSE. “In addition, there are hundreds of preventable accidents and injuries.”
Such accidents occur from groundworks to finishing works – and managers, workers, visitors to sites and members of the public can all be at risk.
And the root cause, according to the HSE? “Inadequate planning and control.” The majority of construction transport accidents result from the insufficient separation of pedestrians and vehicles, the executive points out. “This can usually be avoided by careful planning, particularly at the design stage, and by controlling vehicle operations during construction work.”
As Mellott, a leader in the crushing and screening business, points out, as diverse as mobile plant is, so are the risks they present. “Mobile plant accidents can occur for various reasons: malfunctioning parts, operator error, inadequate safety measures and lack of maintenance are just a few examples. Knowledge of these common risks and a thorough risk assessment are essential for a sound mobile plant safety strategy.”
Failure to deliver such a strategy can have catastrophic consequences. Francis Paonessa, director of capital delivery at Thames Water, is one who is all too aware of how devastating this can be when mobile plant accidents occur. “I’ve had some horrible incidents on sites,” he says. “When people and plant come into contact with each other, there is only ever one winner and sadly that’s never the person.”
ELIMINATING BLIND SPOTS
After falls from height, being struck by moving vehicles/machinery is the most common cause of serious injuries and fatalities on construction sites. It is one of the main reasons why Balfour Beatty is mandating human-form recognition cameras on excavators above 13 tonnes, forward tipping dumpers over six tonnes, articulated dump trucks weighing more than nine tonnes, rollers of 13 tonnes and above, as well as telehandlers, dozers and wheeled loaders.
The technology, supplied by Safety Shield Global, is designed to cover blind spots around mobile machinery. The cameras detect the human form and trigger an alarm to alert both nearby pedestrians and the operator of the plant to the potential risk.
In addition, a failsafe digital system has been introduced, so plant operators can temporarily disable the machine to allow individuals to approach, creating a ‘no entry’ sign outside the machine.
This turns into a green ‘thumbs-up’ symbol when the operator signals that it is safe to approach. The human form recognition requirement for plants on Balfour Beatty projects across the UK will be rolled out as a standard in 2025.
“At Balfour Beatty, we believe that our long-term success is dependent upon our ability to keep our workforce, suppliers, subcontractors and members of the public safe,” says Balfour Beatty chief technology officer Chris Johnson. “It is of utmost importance and our biggest priority.” Implementation of the new technology is, he adds, “another important step towards eliminating harm across all Balfour Beatty projects”.
INTO THE FUTURE
While safety around mobile plant on site is something that has been greatly improved by regulations and legislation, what further steps can be taken to bring even more advances?
“The industry needs to align on common safety standards and encourage manufacturers to include these systems as standard on new equipment,” states Balfour Beatty technical services director Kevin Randall. Automatic intervention systems, where plant stops automatically when danger is detected, could be a future game-changer.
“Human form recognition systems are already transforming safety, identifying people in danger zones and alerting operators in real time. Features like ‘digital thumbs up’ create safer interactions, giving workers clear visual signals when it is safe to approach. Future advancements could include fully integrated safety systems and wearable tech to track proximity and prevent accidents.”
What other steps can employers take to ensure those working in close proximity to mobile plant are protected?
“Employers must provide robust training on the latest safety systems and enforce exclusion zones to minimise risks. Mandating advanced technologies like HFR cameras across all high-risk equipment, including subcontractors, is key. Regularly reviewing incident data helps identify trends and continuously improve safety practices.”
TAKING CHARGE
The Management of Health and Safety at Work regulations require that those responsible for sites with mobile plant equipment conduct a risk assessment. This should be undertaken to identify hazards associated with the use of mobile plant equipment.
“Mobile equipment should only be used, if it fit for purpose, and safe for the workplace and conditions,” points out MRS Training & Rescue. “Equipment and machinery should also be inspected, tested, maintained and comply with any OEM recommendations and applicable statutory requirements and best practice guidelines.”
To ensure mobile plant is safe to use throughout the duration of a project, a programme of pre-use checks should also be implemented, as well as routine servicing and inspections in line with manufacturer instructions. Employers and site managers also need to ensure that there is a clear process and system in place for reporting any issues with mobile plant equipment, such as defects.
Those who use such equipment need to be trained and competent for their role. “All mobile plant operators should be familiar with the machine they are due to operate, as there can be differences in controls, layout and the way the machinery works between manufacturers,” adds MRS Training & Rescue. “The health of operators is also important. Those who use mobile plant need to have the appropriate level of fitness to operate equipment.”
To ensure operations remain as safe as possible, employers and site managers should put measures such as effective supervision, communication and entry procedures in place. And rescue plans should be in place, in case an accident occurs on site, to ensure workers can be evacuated as safely as possible.
“It is important rescue teams have plans and established emergency arrangements for retrieving casualties from mobile plant cabs – and that they understand where to place anchor points to enable emergency extraction of a casualty/ties. It is also vital to ensure the safeguarding of rescuers when carrying out rescue, and that they are aware of the equipment available and know how to use it, in the event of an incident.”
Ask yourself this question, MRS Training & Rescue advises any operator: “If an item of mobile plant overturned, for example, on site, could you confidently ensure that any injured persons can be treated and recovered from the vehicle, and can be transported from the operational void?” The likely success of any training & rescue programme will hinge on answering that
question in the affirmative.