Excavators

Excavators dig trenches, load trucks, demolish and lift. The counterweight swings behind the machine, often in the operator’s blind spot, crushing workers against walls, trucks and other equipment.

• Construction

Main hazards

• Swing radius: the counterweight and the boom both swing. Ground workers are crushed or struck.
• Falling attachments: buckets falling off unlocked quick couplers.
• Tip-overs: on slopes, at trench edges, and when lifting beyond the chart.
• Power lines: booms are long and the operator’s view upward is limited.
• Utility strikes: gas, electric, water and fiber lines.
• Trench collapse from the machine’s weight and vibration near the edge.

Pre-shift check

• Walk-around: people, leaks, damage, tracks and undercarriage
• Bucket, teeth, pins and quick coupler secure
• Hydraulic hoses not rubbing or leaking
• Mirrors, cameras and windows clean
• Seatbelt, horn, lights, swing alarm and travel alarm working
• Hydraulic lockout lever works (locks controls when raised)

Swing radius

• Barricade the swing radius of the counterweight when people work nearby.
• Ground workers: never walk between the counterweight and a wall, truck or other object.
• Operators: look and sound the horn before swinging. Stop if someone enters the swing area.

Quick couplers

Buckets have fallen off quick couplers and killed workers in trenches. Before digging:

• Visually confirm the locking pin or safety device is engaged
• Do the manufacturer’s test: curl the bucket and press it against the ground to check it’s locked
• Keep workers out from under and in front of the bucket

Digging and trench work

• Call 811 and have utilities marked. Dig carefully near marks.
• Keep the machine back from trench edges. Its weight can cause a cave-in.
• Place spoil at least 2 feet from the edge. See Access, Egress & Spoils.
• Never let anyone stand in a trench under the bucket.

Traveling and slopes

• Travel with the bucket low and the boom pulled in. Know which way the tracks will go: if the drive sprockets are in front, the travel controls are reversed.
• Travel straight up and down slopes, not across.
• On slopes, swing slowly and keep the bucket low. Swinging a full bucket downhill can tip the machine.
• Raise the hydraulic lockout lever whenever you stop working, so a bumped control can’t move the boom.

Lifting with an excavator

Using an excavator to lift and move loads with slings (“object handling”) requires a rated lifting point, the manufacturer’s lift chart, and trained rigging and signal persons. Some lifts are covered by OSHA’s crane rules. Never lift with the bucket teeth or an unrated hook.

Last updated: October 1, 2026