Preparation of Construction Equipment for Transport
Before loading and transporting heavy equipment, some preparation should be made to haul safely. Suitable trails should be selected to carry the heavy equipment safely. The trails should able to fit the heavy equipment freely without any damage. The parts which will be broken during the transport should be wrapped in bubble wrap to avoid damage to those small parts.
The construction equipment should be washed and covered before the transport to avoid external damage. Heavy equipment services should be maintained. The doors of the equipment should be closed and locked. The battery of the equipment should be disconnected during transport to avoid drainage of the battery. The battery can be connected once the destination is reached.
1. Risk Assessment
Risk assessment is the process of hazard identification and analysis of risk factors. The analysis of Risk Assessment for equipment transportation is an important step to be prepared for load and transport heavy duty equipment.
2. Outfit With PPE
As safety is an important part of the industry the crew members should be advised to wear Personal Protective Equipment to avoid injuries during loading and equipment transportation. Loading heavy equipment is a place with pedestrians and heavy-lift materials. So the area must be dusty, noisy, and includes the lifting of heavy construction equipment. So prepared with protective equipment will keep us safe throughout the shift.
The common PPE that should be mandatorily worn in the construction companies include safety boots, Safety uniforms, Hearing and Eye Protection, Gloves, etc.
Safety Boots – During the load and transport of heavy duty equipment wearing safety boots is necessary. These boots are designed in a way to protect worker’s feet from electrical shock, chemical spills, and also from slipping.
Safety Uniforms – Working in construction companies is dangerous that we can be exposed to sparks, acids, flames, heavy objects, bricks, etc. So safety uniform is necessary to protect from dangerous exposure.
Hearing and Eye Protection – Usually the place of equipment transportation will be noisy and dusty. So the goggle and ear protection equipment should be worn inside the construction companies.
Gloves – Gloves will help to protect us from the cuts, scratch by the sharp edges. Compulsory wear of gloves should be advised during the loading of heavy equipment.
3. Inspection of the Hauling Capacity of the Trailers
Once the truck or trailer is selected for equipment transportation the load capacity of the truck should be checked before the transport to avoid inconvenience in the middle of the transport. The inspection includes the checking of tires, brakes, lights, weight, etc.
- Check the tire pressure before equipment transportation from the construction companies.
- Make a check over the emergency brake system capable of automatically stop the vehicle upon failure.
- Check whether the rollover and the seat belt is provided on the trucks.
Safe Load of Heavy Duty Equipment for Transport
The loading of heavy duty equipment is not just driving the vehicle onto the truck. Some considerations should be followed for a load of heavy equipment.
1. Clean the Trailer
Before loading the trailer or truck should be clean which is to be free from dirt, snow, or oil. As these, all may cause traction while loading of heavy duty equipment. Inspect for the cleanliness of the truck for a smooth load of heavy equipment for transport.
2. Charge the Duties
Before the load, the workers should split and clear of their duties. One should be responsible for driving the heavy equipment onto the trailer bed. One should give signals to the driver. Others work is to notice the loading and inform if any conflict occurs. One should not interfere in other’s work as that may cause confusion and damage.
3. Choose a Suitable Loading Area
The loading area should be even and dry. The area should not contain more number of workers. Check and clear the area before the loading of heavy equipment.
4. Driving and Setting Equipment onto the Trailer
The most important process after all the inspection is to drive the heavy equipment on the trailer bed. The equipment should be moved slowly. The edges of the truck should bear heavyweight while loading. So the slow and concentrated loading will help for safe loading.
Once the heavy equipment drove safely onto the truck the equipment should be fitted well without any slip during the transport. The equipment should be chained properly and tightly with at least four strong chains.
Also Read: Tips to grow your Construction Equipment and Heavy Machinery Productivity
5. Safe Transport of Heavy Equipment
The heavy mining equipment should be transported safely without any damage to the driver and public. Choosing the best route for heavy equipment transportation is mandatory to avoid disturbance to the public. The selected route should contain the least turns, bridges, etc.
The driving should be slow even it takes a little extra time to reach the destination. Speed transporting with heavy equipment will result in damage. It is better to have the escort vehicle to report the road condition and any issues in the way.
Heavy equipment services, Protective equipment, and careful loading and driving are the important points to be kept in mind for load and transport heavy equipment.