PLT/Specific Plant/TBT-PLT-020

Loading Shovel Safety

Plant & Equipment › Specific Plant › Loading Shovel Safety

All Categories/Plant & Equipment/Specific Plant/Loading Shovel Safety

Loading Shovel Safety

Toolbox Talk Record

Ref: TBT-PLT-020  |  Issue: 1  |  Date: March 2026
PresenterProject
LocationDate

What?

  • 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.

Why?

Pedestrian strikesLoading shovels have extensive blind spots — pedestrian deaths from being struck or run over are a recurring cause of fatality.
OverturningOverloading, travelling with raised buckets, and operating near edges cause loading shovels to overturn.
Falling materialsMaterial falling from a raised bucket during loading or transport can strike and kill nearby workers.
Do Don't
  • Complete a pre-use inspection of the shovel before starting each shift
  • Hold a valid CPCS or NPORS card for the loading shovel category
  • Travel with the bucket lowered and tilted slightly back for stability
  • Use a banksman where pedestrians or other plant are operating nearby
  • Maintain safe distances from stockpile edges, excavations, and embankments
  • Wear a seatbelt at all times while operating the loading shovel
  • Sound the horn before moving off and at blind corners or junctions
  • Use dust suppression when loading dry or fine materials
  • Check tyres for damage, wear, and correct pressure during pre-use checks
  • Segregate pedestrian routes from loading shovel operating areas
  • 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
ebrora.com

RAMS Builder

Generate professional Risk Assessment and Method Statements in minutes. 10 document formats, site-specific content, instant Word download.

Learn More