814 Heavy Equipment Safety

Hazardous Chemical Controls and Safe Work Practices

Operating heavy equipment such as excavators, loaders, graders, rollers, bulldozers, and similar machinery often involves exposure to hazardous chemicals (e.g., diesel fuel, hydraulic fluids, lubricants, battery acids, solvents, adhesives, paints, and exhaust emissions). These substances can cause acute or chronic health effects via inhalation, skin contact, ingestion, or injection.

Below are controls and best practices to mitigate the hazards associated with the use of heavy equipment.

1. Elimination and Substitution

• Low-VOC or Water-Based Coatings: Replace solvent-based paints with low-VOC or water-based alternatives to reduce volatile organic compound emissions during application on bulldozer blades or grader frames. Use low-VOC or water-based coatings instead of solvent-based paints
• Low-Sulfur Diesel or Biodiesel: Switch fuel sources to ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) or B20 biodiesel in loaders and rollers to minimize sulfur dioxide and particulate emissions from exhaust. Switch to low-sulfur diesel or biodiesel to reduce exhaust toxins
• Battery-Electric Equipment: Deploy electric excavators (e.g., Volvo EC230 Electric) to eliminate diesel refueling, exhaust exposure, and spill risks entirely in confined or urban sites. Replace diesel excavators with battery-electric models (e.g., Volvo EC series) to eliminate fuel handling and exhaust
• Biodegradable Hydraulic Fluids: Use pre-packaged, non-toxic, biodegradable fluids like PANOLIN HLP SYNTH to avoid mixing hazardous additives on-site during maintenance of grader hydraulic systems. Use factory-sealed, non-hazardous biodegradable hydraulic fluids (e.g., PANOLIN HLP SYNTH) to avoid on-site mixing of corrosives

2. Engineering Controls

• Enclosed Cabs with HEPA Filtration: Equip operators with pressurized cabs featuring HEPA filters in John Deere or Caterpillar equipment to block diesel particulate matter and solvent vapors during grading or loading. Install enclosed, pressurized cabs with HEPA filtration (e.g., modern John Deere or Caterpillar cabs) to filter diesel particulate matter (DPM) and vapors
• Tele-Operated Equipment: Use remote-controlled excavators in contaminated soil zones to keep operators at a safe distance from chemical hazards during remediation work. Use tele-operated excavators in contaminated soil remediation to keep operators outside the exposure zone
• Automatic Fuel Nozzles: Install spill-proof, auto-shutoff nozzles on fuel dispensers to prevent overfills and drips when refueling bulldozers or wheel loaders on-site. Equip fuel systems with automatic shut-off nozzles to prevent spills during refueling of loaders or bulldozers

• Secondary Containment: Place spill trays or berms under 55-gallon drums and fuel transfer stations in equipment yards to contain leaks of hydraulic oil or diesel. Provide secondary containment (spill trays) under 55-gallon drums of hydraulic oil in equipment yards

3. Administrative Controls

• Job Hazard Analysis (JHA): Require a quick 5-minute JHA before high-risk tasks like refueling a bulldozer in high winds to identify wind drift and spill risks. Conduct a 5-minute Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) before refueling a bulldozer in windy conditions
• Rotational Scheduling: Rotate operators every 2 hours during hot refueling operations in enclosed cabs to limit inhalation exposure to fuel vapors. Limit operator time in enclosed cabs during hot refueling to less than 2 hours (rotational scheduling)
• Spill Response Drills: Train loader operators to deploy absorbent pads and contain a hydraulic leak within 2 minutes of detection to prevent soil contamination. Train loader operators to use absorbent pads within 2 minutes of a hydraulic leak (spill response drills)
• GHS Labeling & SDS Access: Ensure every chemical container on a grader has a GHS label and QR code linking to the Safety Data Sheet for instant hazard information. Ensure all fluids on a grader have SDS-accessible QR codes on containers (GHS labeling and chemical inventory)
• No Food/Drink in Cabs: Prohibit eating, drinking, or storing food in equipment cabs to prevent hand-to-mouth transfer of chemical residues from controls or surfaces. Pro bibliot eating or drinking in equipment cabs to prevent ingestion of contaminants
• Pre-Shift Inspections: Mandate daily walk-around checks of excavators to detect hydraulic leaks, loose fittings, or fluid residue before operation begins. Perform pre-shift equipment inspections to check for hydraulic leaks on excavators before startup

4. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Chemical-Resistant Gloves: Wear nitrile or PVC gloves rated for petroleum and hydraulic fluids when changing filters or breaking hydraulic lines on excavators. Chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile, PVC) – Wear when changing excavator hydraulic filters
• Eye and Face Protection: Use sealed safety goggles or a full-face shield when adding battery electrolyte to prevent acid splashes during loader maintenance. Safety goggles or face shield – Use during battery maintenance on loaders when adding electrolyte
• Chemical-Resistant Coveralls: Don Tyvek® or poly-coated coveralls when spray-applying protective undercoatings to bulldozer blades to block skin contact with solvents. Tyvek® or chemical-resistant coveralls – Wear when spraying undercoating on bulldozer blades
• Respiratory Protection: Use N95 or half-face respirators with organic vapor cartridges when operating asphalt rollers in enclosed or poorly ventilated areas. Respirators (N95 or half-face with organic vapor cartridges) – Use during high-fume tasks like operating a roller in asphalt sealing
• Hearing & Communication Protection: Wear noise-canceling headsets with built-in communication in all cabs, especially when working near solvent storage or chemical mixing zones. Hearing protection + communication headsets – Wear in all cabs, especially when grading near solvent storage areas

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