Heavy Equipment Operator Safety: Excavators, Loaders, Dozers and Trucks

Earthmoving and heavy equipment kill workers every year through rollovers, runovers, backing accidents, contact with power lines and being crushed by moving parts. This in-depth course covers the OSHA rules for earthmoving equipment, motor vehicles and equipment on construction sites (29 CFR 1926 Subpart O, sections 1926.600 to 1926.606), rollover protective structures and seat belts, the daily inspection, safe mounting and dismounting, visibility, blind spots, backup alarms and spotters, working near people, utilities, trenches and edges, operating on slopes and haul roads, loading and hauling, using attachments and lifting with excavators, fueling and maintenance, lockout and blocking, tire safety, transporting equipment, and hazards such as dust, noise, vibration, heat and fatigue. It is an awareness-level course. It does not teach machine skills or certify operators. Employers must train and authorize operators on each machine and follow the manufacturer's operator manual.

What you’ll learn

• Explain OSHA's equipment rules, operator training and authorization requirements
• Perform a pre-operation inspection and know when to tag a machine out
• Use ROPS, seat belts and safe mounting and dismounting, and understand rollover hazards
• Control blind spots, backing hazards and pedestrian interaction using spotters, alarms and traffic plans
• Work safely near utilities, trenches, edges, slopes and haul roads
• Load, haul, lift and use attachments within machine limits
• Fuel, maintain, lock out, transport and park equipment safely
• Manage dust, noise, vibration, heat, fatigue and weather

Who it’s for

Excavator, backhoe, loader, dozer, skid steer, grader, roller, scraper and dump truck operators; laborers, truck drivers, spotters and ground crew who work around equipment; supervisors, contractors, landscapers, farmers and safety coordinators. No experience is needed.

Course outline

Module 1: Equipment Hazards and the Rules 3 lessons · quiz

Why equipment kills, the OSHA rules in Subpart O, operator authorization and the machines covered.

• How heavy equipment kills 12 min Free preview
• OSHA rules for equipment 14 min
• Types of machines and their special hazards 14 min

Module 2: Inspection, ROPS, Seat Belts and Getting On and Off 3 lessons · quiz

The daily walk-around, function checks, rollover protection, seat belts and safe mounting and dismounting.

• The pre-operation inspection 15 min Free preview
• ROPS, seat belts and operator protection 14 min
• Mounting, dismounting and parking 12 min

Module 3: Visibility, Backing and Working Around People 3 lessons · quiz

Blind spots, backup alarms and cameras, spotters and signals, pedestrians, traffic plans and internal haul roads.

• Blind spots and backing 15 min Free preview
• Pedestrians, signals and traffic plans 14 min
• Working in tight spaces, at night and in poor visibility 12 min

Module 4: Utilities, Trenches, Slopes and Ground Conditions 3 lessons · quiz

Overhead and buried utilities, working near excavations and edges, slopes, soft ground and weather.

• Overhead lines and buried utilities 15 min Free preview
• Trenches, edges and excavations 14 min
• Slopes, soft ground and weather 14 min

Module 5: Loading, Hauling, Lifting and Attachments 3 lessons · quiz

Loading and dumping trucks, hauling safely, lifting with excavators and loaders, and using attachments, couplers and hammers.

• Loading, hauling and dumping 15 min Free preview
• Lifting with excavators and loaders 14 min
• Attachments, couplers and hammers 14 min

Module 6: Fueling, Maintenance, Transport and Health 3 lessons · quiz

Fueling and fire safety, maintenance and lockout, tires, transporting equipment, and the health hazards of noise, vibration, dust, heat and fatigue.

• Fueling, fire and maintenance 15 min Free preview
• Tires, tracks and transporting equipment 14 min
• Health hazards, fatigue and case studies 15 min

What’s included

• 18 lessons you can read at your own pace, on a phone or a computer
• A short quiz after every module, with the correct answer shown for any you miss
• A final exam of 25 questions (pass at 80% or higher)
• A numbered certificate of completion with a QR code anyone can scan to verify it
• Your progress saved to your account, with access that doesn’t expire

Questions

Can an employer check my certificate? Yes. Each certificate has a number and a QR code that opens a public verification page on this site.

Can I get a refund? Yes, within 7 days of purchase if you have completed less than 25% of the course and haven’t earned its certificate. Email support@toddallynmedia.com. Details are in section 13 of the Terms of Use. Payment is handled by PayPal; we never see your card details.

What do I need? A free account and any phone, tablet or computer. Questions or problems? Email support@toddallynmedia.com.