PLT/Specific Plant/TBT-PLT-020

Loading Shovel Safety

Plant & Equipment › Specific Plant › Loading Shovel Safety

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Location		Date

Loading shovels are used for bulk material handling, stockpile management, and truck loading on construction sites.
The raised bucket creates a significant overhead hazard — material can fall from height during loading.
Loading shovels have large blind spots, especially to the rear and sides, making pedestrian collisions common.
Overloading the bucket or travelling with a raised load affects machine stability and increases overturning risk.
Operators must hold a valid CPCS or NPORS card specifically for the category of loading shovel being used.
Loading operations near edges of tips, stockpiles, and excavations create overturning hazards.
Tyre condition is critical — damaged tyres on loaded shovels can fail and cause loss of control.
Dust generation from loading dry materials requires suppression and may require RPE for nearby workers.
Loading shovels operating on public highways must comply with road traffic lighting and marking requirements.
A pre-use inspection must be completed by the operator at the start of every shift.

Pedestrian strikes	Loading shovels have extensive blind spots — pedestrian deaths from being struck or run over are a recurring cause of fatality.
Overturning	Overloading, travelling with raised buckets, and operating near edges cause loading shovels to overturn.
Falling materials	Material falling from a raised bucket during loading or transport can strike and kill nearby workers.

Don't

DON'T carry passengers in the bucket or on any part of the machine
DON'T travel with the bucket raised — it reduces visibility and stability
DON'T load trucks beyond their rated capacity or from the cab side
DON'T operate within two metres of an unprotected excavation or tip edge
DON'T leave the machine with the bucket raised or the engine running unattended
DON'T allow pedestrians to walk in the active loading zone
DON'T use the loading shovel to lift personnel — it is not designed for this
DON'T exceed the rated bucket capacity for the material being loaded
DON'T operate with a cracked windscreen or non-functioning mirrors
DON'T drive at speed over rough ground — maintain a pace appropriate to conditions

See also: Plant and Pedestrian Segregation | Reversing and Banksman Procedures

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