WorkSafe reminds workplaces about the importance of managing risks associated with use of 4-in-1 buckets on skid-steer loaders

WorkSafe Victoria has issued a reminder regarding managing risks associated with using 4-in-1 buckets on skid-steer loaders.

The safety watchdog says this reminder is intended for employers, but it could also be beneficial to others who have obligations concerning workplace health and safety.

The reminder was prompted by an incident involving an employee who suffered significant injuries while loading concrete rubble into a tip truck with a skid-steer loader.

According to WorkSafe, the worker sustained injuries as a result of concrete debris collapsing from the open jaws of the loader's 4-in-1 bucket.

“Replacing tip trucks with skips on the ground is one way to eliminate risks from loading into tip trucks. Instead of loading over the high sides of a tip truck, loader operators load over the low sides of the skip. A skip loader truck then collects the skip for transport,” WorkSafe states.

WorkSafe also recommends that skid-steer loaders with open fronts should have protective screens installed whenever possible. Choices range from installing polycarbonate front doors to using mesh or security front screens.

Find out more here.