Street Sweepers

Street sweepers clean roads, parking lots, construction sites and industrial yards. They work at slow speeds, often in or next to traffic, and they stir up dust. Operators face crashes and backing hazards, dust and noise, and hopper and broom hazards during maintenance. Other workers on foot face the same risks near a moving sweeper.

• Equipment Operators
• Municipal & Contract Crews
• Site Cleanup

Types of sweepers

• Mechanical broom sweepers use rotating gutter brooms and a main broom to move debris onto a conveyor and into a hopper. They use water spray to keep dust down.
• Regenerative air sweepers blow air to loosen debris and vacuum it up, recirculating the air.
• Vacuum sweepers pull debris through a suction hose or nozzle.
• Walk-behind and ride-on sweepers for lots and warehouses, and truck-mounted units for roads. Some are electric or hybrid, which makes them quieter and harder to hear when they move.

Main hazards

• Traffic: sweepers move slowly, often at the road edge or in a lane, and are struck by passing vehicles. See Work Zones and Move-Over Laws.
• Backing and blind spots: large vehicles have poor visibility, especially to the rear and right side, and workers or pedestrians can be hidden. See Backing & Spotters.
• Dust and silica: sweeping produces dust that can contain respirable crystalline silica, particularly on construction sites and concrete or asphalt work areas. See Silica.
• Noise: engines, fans, brooms and vacuum systems are loud. See Noise.
• Moving parts: brooms, conveyors, fans and belts can catch hands and clothing during service.
• Hydraulics: hoses and fittings under pressure can leak or burst. See Hydraulic Hazards.
• Hopper hazards: a raised hopper can fall during service and crush a person, and dumping near power lines or people causes accidents. See Blocking & Cribbing.
• Hot surfaces, fire and sharp debris: debris such as glass, needles and nails can injure. See Sharps on Jobsites.
• Slips and falls climbing on and off the machine.

Working safely in traffic

• Make yourself visible. Use beacons, arrow boards where equipped, flashing lights and high-visibility clothing (ANSI Class 2 or 3, depending on the road). See High-Visibility Clothing.
• Use a traffic control plan for roadway work, with signs, cones, shadow vehicles or truck-mounted attenuators as required by the road authority. See Driving Through Work Zones.
• Follow the direction of traffic where possible and avoid sudden stops or turns. Keep a safe speed for the job and the conditions.
• Plan the route for narrow lanes, low clearances, overhead lines, parked cars and pedestrians. Sweep at times with less traffic when possible.
• Wear your seat belt, keep doors closed and keep your attention on the road. Don’t use a phone while operating. See Distracted Driving.
• Watch pedestrians, cyclists and children, especially near schools, parks and parking lots.

Backing and operating

• Back only when necessary, and use a spotter, mirrors, cameras and a working backup alarm. If no spotter is available, get out and look first.
• Keep other workers away from the sweeper’s path and out of its blind spots, and don’t walk behind it while it moves.
• Operate within the machine’s limits on slopes and curbs. Keep brooms raised when traveling, and keep the water tank and hopper loads within the rated capacity.
• Do a pre-use inspection: brakes, steering, lights, tires, brooms, hoses, belts, spray nozzles, hopper and safety devices. Report problems and don’t use the machine with defects. See Equipment Basics.

Dust, noise and health

• Use the dust controls. Water spray, vacuum and filtration systems cut dust, so keep nozzles clear, tanks full and filters clean. Don’t dry sweep dusty areas, and never use compressed air to blow dust.
• Keep the cab sealed and the cab filter working. Where silica exposure may be high, such as sweeping up after concrete work, a competent person should check controls and respirator needs. See Respiratory Protection.
• Wear hearing protection when noise is high, such as walk-behind and open-station units. See Hearing Protection.
• Use gloves and tools for debris, and never reach into the hopper or pick up sharps by hand. Use tongs or a pick-up tool.
• Check for hazardous spills before sweeping. Don’t sweep up unknown chemicals, fuel or hazardous materials. See Spill Response.

Emptying the hopper

• Dump only at approved sites, on firm level ground, away from people, buildings and overhead lines. Look up before raising the hopper. See Overhead Power Lines.
• Make sure no one is near the hopper or the dump area, and warn others before raising it.
• Never work under a raised hopper unless it is blocked or locked with the maker’s safety prop. Hydraulic cylinders can fail.
• Don’t overload the hopper, and don’t dump onto a slope or soft ground that could cause a tip.

Maintenance and lockout

• Shut off the engine, remove the key, set the brake, relieve hydraulic pressure and lock out before servicing brooms, conveyors, fans and hydraulics. See Lockout/Tagout.
• Change brooms and clean jams with the machine off and the brooms stopped. Don’t clear debris from a moving broom or conveyor by hand.
• Block and support raised parts, such as the hopper or body, with a prop or stand rated for the load.
• Only trained workers should repair hydraulic and electrical systems. Check hoses regularly and replace any that are worn.
• Clean the machine of oily residue and debris to reduce fire risk.

Street sweeper checklist

• Beacons, lights and high-visibility clothing are used; traffic control follows the plan
• Pre-use inspection is done; backup alarm, mirrors and camera work
• Backing is minimized, with a spotter when needed; pedestrians kept clear
• Water spray, filters and cab seals are working; respirators and hearing protection are used where needed
• The hopper is emptied at a safe spot away from people and power lines, and blocked before service
• The machine is locked out and hydraulic pressure is relieved before maintenance

Last updated: October 5, 2026