Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Skid-Steer Loaders (NIOSH Alert 2011-128)

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1. Page 1

   Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Skid-Steer Loaders

   • DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
   • National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
   • Workplace
   • Safety and Health
2. Page 2

   NOTICE TO READERS

   • The first edition of this Alert incorrectly referenced several OSHA regulations as applying to skid-steer loaders. This revised edition removes references to those standards. In addition, this revised Alert addresses differences in skid-steer loader design and contains several minor revisions and changes in wording to improve clarity.
   • This document is in the public domain and may be freely copied and reprinted.
   • DISCLAIMER
   • Mention of any company or product does not constitute endorsement by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). In addition, citations to Web sites external to NIOSH do not constitute NIOSH endorsement of the sponsoring organizations or their programs or products. Furthermore, NIOSH is not responsible for the content of these Web sites. All Web addresses referenced in this document were accessible as of the publication date.
   • ORDERING INFORMATION
   • To receive NIOSH documents or more information about occupational safety and health topics, contact NIOSH at:
   • 1–800–CDC–INFO (1–800–232–4636)
   • TTY: 1–888–232–6348
   • E-mail: [email protected]
   • or visit the NIOSH Web site at www.cdc.gov/niosh.
   • For a monthly update on news at NIOSH, subscribe to NIOSH eNews by visiting www.cdc.gov/niosh/eNews.
   • DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2011–128
   • (superscedes 98–117)
   • December 2010
   • Safe • Healthier • People TM
3. Page 3

   Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Skid-Steer Loaders

   • Read and understand all safety and operating procedures outlined in the operators manual, workshop manual, and safety decals.
   • Operate the loader only when properly positioned in the operator’s compartment—never from the outside.
   • Stay seated when operating the loader controls.
   • Operate with the seat belt snuggly fastened and the restraint bar properly positioned, if one is provided.
   • Keep hands, arms, legs, and head inside the
   • Do not travel across slopes. Travel straight up or down, with the heavy end of the machine pointed uphill.
   • Keep bystanders away from the work area.
   • NEVER modify or bypass safety devices.
   • NEVER carry riders.
   • Be aware that each machine may operate differently.
   • 2. Enter and exit from the loader safely:
   • Enter and exit a loader when the bucket is flat on the ground or when the lift-arm support device is in place.
   • When entering a loader, face the seat and keep a three-point contact with handholds and steps.
   • operator’s compartment while operating the loader.
   • NEVER use foot or hand controls as steps or
   • Load, unload, and turn on level ground when
   • Keep all walking and working surfaces clean
   • Travel and turn with the bucket in the lowest
   • Before leaving the operator’s seat:
   • possible.
   • position possible. Carry the load low.
   • Operate on stable surfaces only. Avoid slippery surfaces.
   • Keep the foot controls free of mud, ice, snow,
   • Regularly inspect and maintain the follow-
   • Workers who operate or work near skid-steer loaders may be crushed or caught by the machine or its parts.
   • 1. Follow safe operating procedures:
   • Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
   • and debris.
   • WARNING!
   • …
4. Page 4

   Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Skid-Steer Loaders

   • Read and understand all safety and operating procedures outlined in the operators manual, workshop manual, and safety decals.
   • Operate the loader only when properly positioned in the operator’s compartment—never from the outside.
   • Stay seated when operating the loader controls.
   • Operate with the seat belt snuggly fastened and the restraint bar properly positioned, if one is provided.
   • Keep hands, arms, legs, and head inside the
   • Do not travel across slopes. Travel straight up or down, with the heavy end of the machine pointed uphill.
   • Keep bystanders away from the work area.
   • NEVER modify or bypass safety devices.
   • NEVER carry riders.
   • Be aware that each machine may operate differently.
   • 2. Enter and exit from the loader safely:
   • Enter and exit a loader when the bucket is flat on the ground or when the lift-arm support device is in place.
   • When entering a loader, face the seat and keep a three-point contact with handholds and steps.
   • operator’s compartment while operating the loader.
   • NEVER use foot or hand controls as steps or
   • Load, unload, and turn on level ground when
   • Keep all walking and working surfaces clean
   • Travel and turn with the bucket in the lowest
   • Before leaving the operator’s seat:
   • possible.
   • position possible. Carry the load low.
   • Operate on stable surfaces only. Avoid slippery surfaces.
   • Keep the foot controls free of mud, ice, snow,
   • Regularly inspect and maintain the follow-
   • Workers who operate or work near skid-steer loaders may be crushed or caught by the machine or its parts.
   • 1. Follow safe operating procedures:
   • Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
   • and debris.
   • WARNING!
   • …
5. Page 5

   Prevención de lesiones y muertes causadas por minicargadores

   • Mantenga todas las superficies para caminar y trabajar despejadas y libres de residuos.
   • Antes de abandonar el asiento del operador:
   • baje el cucharón para que descanse sobre el piso, accione el freno de estacionamiento y apague el motor.
   • ¡ADVERTENCIA!
   • Los trabajadores que operan o trabajan cerca de minicargadores pueden ser aplastados o quedar atrapados por la máquina o sus partes.
   • Si usted opera o trabaja cerca de minicargadores, siga los pasos siguientes para protegerse.
   • Opere sólo en superficies estables. Evite las
   • 1. Siga los procedimientos de operación segura:
   • No avance de manera transversal sobre
   • Lea y entienda todos los procedimientos de seguridad y de operación que se mencionan en el manual para los operadores, en el manual del taller y en las calcomanías de seguridad.
   • Opere el cargador sólo cuando usted esté bien ubicado en el compartimiento del operador, y nunca desde afuera.
   • Permanezca sentado cuando opere los controles del cargador.
   • Trabaje con el cinturón de seguridad bien ajustado y la barra de sujeción en la posición correcta, en caso de que cuente con una.
   • Mantenga las manos, los brazos, las piernas y la cabeza dentro del compartimiento del operador mientras opere el cargador.
   • Cuando sea posible, cargue, descargue y gire en terrenos nivelados.
   • Avance y gire con el cucharón en la posición más baja posible. Lleve la carga a una altura baja.
   • superficies resbalosas.
   • terrenos inclinados. Avance en línea recta hacia arriba o hacia abajo con la parte pesada de la máquina apuntando hacia la parte elevada del terreno.
   • Mantenga a los espectadores alejados del
   • …
6. Page 6

   Prevención de lesiones y muertes causadas por minicargadores

   • Mantenga todas las superficies para caminar y trabajar despejadas y libres de residuos.
   • Antes de abandonar el asiento del operador:
   • baje el cucharón para que descanse sobre el piso, accione el freno de estacionamiento y apague el motor.
   • ¡ADVERTENCIA!
   • Los trabajadores que operan o trabajan cerca de minicargadores pueden ser aplastados o quedar atrapados por la máquina o sus partes.
   • Si usted opera o trabaja cerca de minicargadores, siga los pasos siguientes para protegerse.
   • Opere sólo en superficies estables. Evite las
   • 1. Siga los procedimientos de operación segura:
   • No avance de manera transversal sobre
   • Lea y entienda todos los procedimientos de seguridad y de operación que se mencionan en el manual para los operadores, en el manual del taller y en las calcomanías de seguridad.
   • Opere el cargador sólo cuando usted esté bien ubicado en el compartimiento del operador, y nunca desde afuera.
   • Permanezca sentado cuando opere los controles del cargador.
   • Trabaje con el cinturón de seguridad bien ajustado y la barra de sujeción en la posición correcta, en caso de que cuente con una.
   • Mantenga las manos, los brazos, las piernas y la cabeza dentro del compartimiento del operador mientras opere el cargador.
   • Cuando sea posible, cargue, descargue y gire en terrenos nivelados.
   • Avance y gire con el cucharón en la posición más baja posible. Lleve la carga a una altura baja.
   • superficies resbalosas.
   • terrenos inclinados. Avance en línea recta hacia arriba o hacia abajo con la parte pesada de la máquina apuntando hacia la parte elevada del terreno.
   • Mantenga a los espectadores alejados del
   • …
7. Page 7

   Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Skid-Steer Loaders

   • WARNING!
   • Workers who operate or work near skid-steer loaders may be crushed or caught by the machine or its parts.
   • The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) requests assistance in preventing injuries and deaths among workers who operate, service, or work near skid-steer loaders. This type of loader is commonly used in agriculture, construction, and general industry for materials handling and excavating. NIOSH studies in the 1990s suggested that employers, supervisors, and workers may not fully appreciate the potential hazards associated with operating or working near skid-steer loaders and they may not follow safe work procedures for controlling these hazards. This Alert describes six deaths involving skid-steer loaders and recommends methods for preventing similar incidents.
   • BACKGROUND
   • Risk of Injury
   • Improper operation of skid-steer loaders can put workers at risk of rollover and runover incidents. These risks are similar to those associated with other types of mobile construction machinery. However, skid-steer loaders have features that can expose workers to additional injury risks.
   • Most skid-steer loaders are configured with the operator’s seat and controls located between two lift arms and in front of the lift-arm pivot points. The operator enters and exits through the front of the machine by stepping over the lowered lift arm and its attachment, usually a loader bucket (see Figure 1). …
   • …
8. Page 8
   • Figure 1
   • frame is present with either type of machine when safe procedures are not followed. For example, skid-steer loaders are very compact and the operator sits close to the zone of liftarm movement. Operators can be struck by a lift arm or caught between a lift arm and the machine frame if they lean or reach out of the operator’s compartment while the lift arm is moving.
   • Current Safeguards
   • Control Interlocks—To prevent unintentional control activation, skid-steer loaders are equipped with interlocked control systems. These interlocked control systems require that a safety device such as a seat belt be secured or restraint bar be properly positioned
   • before the operational controls can function. This ensures that the operator is safely seated away from the zone of lift-arm movement before the machine can be operated.
   • Rollover Protective Structures and Operator Restraints—Skid-steer loaders are also equipped with rollover protective structures (ROPS) and seat belts to keep the operator inside the machine during rollover incidents. Falling object protective structures (FOPS) are provided to protect the operator from being struck by falling material.
   • Side Screens—Metal or glass side screens integrated with the ROPS prevent the operator from leaning or reaching out of the operator’s compartment and coming into contact with a moving lift arm. Side screens may
9. Page 9

   Fatality Data

   • also protect operators from being injured by debris or objects entering the operator’s compartment.
   • Several databases identify work-related fatalities in the United States:
   • NTOF * —NIOSH National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities Surveillance System no loader type was identified. Some of these fatalities may have involved skid-steer loaders. The NTOF data probably underestimate the number of fatalities involving skid-steer loaders, because death certificates do not identify all work-related fatalities [Russell and Conroy 1991; Stout and Bell 1991].
   • FACE—During the period 1992–1997, the NIOSH FACE Program identified 37 workrelated fatalities involving skid-steer loaders.
   • FACE—NIOSH
   • Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program
   • Number of fatalities
   • CFOI—Census of Fatal Occupational Inju-
   • Types of incidents
   • The following summary describes the data on fatalities involving skid-steer loaders in these databases for varying time periods extending from 1980 to 1997.
   • Pinning between the bucket and frame or between a lift arm and frame
   • Rollovers
   • Other/unknown
   • NTOF—During the period 1980–1992, the NTOF Surveillance System used death certificate data to identify 54 work-related fatalities involving skid-steer loaders [NIOSH 1997b].
   • The 29 fatalities involving pinning between the bucket and frame or between a lift arm and frame resulted from the following activities:
   • ries of the Bureau of Labor Statistics
   • Pinning between the bucket and frame or between the lift arm and frame
   • Crushing, for which no further information was provided Rollovers
   • Pinning between the loader and another object
   • Runover
   • 25 (46%)
   • 11 2
   • …
10. Page 10

    STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS

    • OSHA Regulations
    • The current Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations for the construction industry (29 CFR † 1926) do not specifically address skid-steer loaders. The regulations do, however, require employers to protect workers from hazards associated with operating and maintaining mobile machines.
    • SAE International Standard
    • SAE International has developed a Surface Vehicle Standard that addresses skid-steer loader safety: J1388 [SAE 2008]. This document contains design guidelines that address such hazards as machine rollovers and being caught between a lift arm and frame, or the attachment and frame. To conform to this standard, manufacturers must adhere to the following:
    • Provide warnings, operator instructions, and service procedures.
    • Equip machines with seat belts.
    • Provide a means to protect the operator from the hazard of a lift arm lowering when entering and exiting the machine.
    • Provide handholds and steps to facilitate entry and exit from the loader.
    • Provide ROPS/FOPS with side screens.
    • Provide
    • two access openings, one for emergency exit.
    • Provide safety signs and instructions to warn users of the potential hazards during normal operation and servicing.
    • Code of Federal Regulations. See CFR in references.
    • CASE REPORTS
    • The cases presented here were investigated by the FACE Program between 1992 and 1997.
    • Case 1— Bypassed Interlocked
    • Control System
    • On February 7, 1995, a 37-year-old male farmer died after he was struck by the bucket of a front-entry skid-steer loader. The incident occurred after the farmer had used the loader for chores and parked it in an open garage without cleaning…
    • …
11. Page 11
    • scene and continued during transport to a local hospital, but they were unsuccessful [University of Iowa 1995].
    • Although several factors contributed to the injury, two factors were critical:
    • 1. The interlocked control system for the liftarm control had been bypassed by someone jamming a glove into the safety interlock linkage connected to the seat belt, so that the controls did not lock when the seat belt was not in use.
    • 2. The low overhead clearance inside the garage prevented the lift arm from raising high enough to allow use of the liftarm support pins located near the top of the ROPS.
    • Case 2—Improper Exit, Removal of ROPS
    • On October 29, 1993, a 26-year-old male hog farmer was fatally injured when he was caught between the frame of a skid-steer loader and a lift-arm hydraulic cylinder. The farmer was working alone, using the loader to pile manure in one corner of a hog containment building. The loader’s ROPS had been removed to permit operation under the 6- to 6½-foot high ceiling of the building, and the lift-arm support device (on one of the lift cylinders) could only be used when the lift arm was almost fully raised. The loader stalled in front of and facing a manure pile with the bucket partially raised, blocking the farmer from dismounting through the front of the machine. As he attempted to climb out over the side of the machine, he unintentionally hit the lift-arm control lever, causing the lift arm to drop and crush him against the frame. A family member called 9-1-1, and first responders released the farmer using a large front-end loader and chain. …
    • …
12. Page 12
    • support device for this machine, it was not available at the jobsite at the time of the incident [Massachusetts Department of Public Health 1994].
    • Case 4—Working Near Raised
    • Bucket
    • On July 16, 1992, a 16-year-old male landscape worker died as a result of traumatic injuries from being struck by the bucket of a skid-steer loader. The worker and two coworkers were removing a fence that surrounded a housing development drainage pond. The fence had been hung on 1- by 2-inch wooden stakes near the bottom of the pond’s bank, which had a 20% slope. The loader was being used to pull up the stakes, because overgrowth around the pond made it difficult to remove them by hand. The operator of the loader positioned it about midway from the top of the bank, facing down the slope with the bucket lowered. The worker and a coworker stood near the bottom of the bank and wound the fence around the loader bucket. The operator pulled the stake by raising the bucket. He then moved the machine to the next stake and lowered the bucket to repeat the process. As the operator was raising the bucket to pull the third stake, the loader tipped forward. To stabilize the machine, the operator lowered the bucket. At the same time, the worker who had been standing in front of and to the side of the loader, slipped and fell underneath the bucket. The bucket struck him in the chest and he died shortly thereafter from traumatic chest injuries [Minnesota Department of Health 1992].
    • Case 5—Improper Backing
    • Procedure, Nonuse of Seat belt
    • On September 20, 1996, a 43-year-old landscape worker died after he backed a skid-steer
    • …
13. Page 13
    • into a dump truck. As he was loading a log into the truck, he leaned out of the operator’s compartment, placing his head in the path of the lift arm. The lift arm moved down, either when the operator unintentionally stepped on the foot-operated lift control pedal or when hydraulic pressure was lost because of a ruptured hydraulic line. A passing homeowner noticed hydraulic fluid spraying from the machine and alerted one of the operator’s coworkers, who found the operator sitting in the operator’s seat with his head crushed by the lift arm. The cause of death was recorded as a crushed cranium due to a heavy equipment accident. Emergency personnel at the scene noted that the main pivot pin connecting the left lift arm to the frame was missing. Investigators concluded that the pin might have disengaged while the lift arm was down in the “carry” position, resulting in dislocation of the lift arm and rupture of the hydraulic line [NIOSH 1997a].
    • CONCLUSIONS
    • These fatal incidents suggest that employers and workers may not fully appreciate the potential hazards associated with operating or working near skid-steer loaders, the need to follow safe work procedures, and the consequences of bypassing interlocks and other safety features.
    • RECOMMENDATIONS
    • NIOSH recommends that employers and workers comply with OSHA regulations, maintain equipment in accordance with manufacturer’s guidelines, and take the following measures to prevent injury when operating or working near skid-steer loaders:
    • Always
    • use and maintain the following safety devices provided by manufacturers:
    • Lift-arm support devices
    • Control interlocks
    • Seat belts
    • ROPS/FOPS
    • Side screens
    • …
14. Page 14
    • blocks or simple metal angle irons because they can shift or collapse under even light loads.
    • warnings and instructions before they operate a skid-steer loader. Train workers to use the following safe operating procedures:
    • Interlocked controls—Regularly inspect and maintain interlocked controls in proper operating condition. These systems require the operator to be properly positioned and restrained before the loader can be used. Never bypass interlocked controls. Make sure that the seat belt is always securely fastened around the operator when the loader is in operation. Always use the restraint bar if one is provided. Although workers and employers may perceive safety features such as interlocked controls and seat belts as obstacles to efficient machine operation, bypassing these devices increases their risk of serious injury and death.
    • Read and understand all safety and op-
    • Seat belts—Make sure that the seat belt is secured around the operator whenever the operator is in the seat. The seat belt protects the operator in several ways. In the event of a rollover, the seat belt restrains the operator within the protective envelope of the ROPS. The seat belt can also protect the operator from falling out or being jostled into the operating zone of the lift arm and bucket. If the seat belt is part of the interlocked control system, it protects workers from being caught and crushed between the lift arm and frame.
    • the operator’s compartment while operating the loader.
    • Field modification kits—If side screens, interlocks, ROPS/FOPS, and seat belts are not on the machine, contact the equipment dealer or manufacturer’s representative about the…
    • …
15. Page 15

    Entering and Exiting the Loader

    • Safely
    • Side screens
    • Rollover protective structures (ROPS)
    • Enter and exit when the bucket or other
    • Falling object protective structures (FOPS) attachment is flat on the ground or when the lift-arm support device is in place. Use the lift-arm support device supplied or recommended by the manufacturer.
    • When entering the loader, face the seat and keep a three-point contact with handholds and steps.
    • Never use foot or hand controls as steps or handholds.
    • Keep all walking and working surfaces clean and clear of debris.
    • Before leaving the operator’s seat, lower the bucket or other attachment flat on the ground, set the parking brake, turn off the engine.
    • If unable to exit through the primary opening for entering the machine, use the emergency exit located at the back of the operator’s compartment or as specified by the manufacturer.
    • Maintaining the Loader in Safe
    • Operating Condition
    • Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for maintaining the loader.
    • Keep the foot controls and the operator’s compartment free of mud, ice, snow, and debris.
    • Regularly inspect and maintain the following safety devices:
    • Control interlocks
    • Seat belts
    • Restraint bars
    • NEVER modify or bypass safety devices.
    • Before servicing the loader, lower the bucket or other attachment flat on the ground, set the parking brake, turn off the engine, remove the key from the switch.
    • If the machine cannot be serviced with the bucket on the ground, remove the bucket or attachment and use the lift-arm support device recommended or provided by the manufacturer. …
    • …
16. Page 16
    • signs. For help with such training, contact the equipment manufacturer or check the manufacturer’s Web site for availability of training resources. Obtain manuals, instructional videos, and operator or service training courses from the equipment dealer or manufacturer.
    • ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
    • Principal contributors to the first edition of this Alert were Paul H. Moore and Stephanie
    • G. Pratt of the NIOSH Division of Safety Research. This revised edition was prepared by Paul H. Moore. Cases presented in this Alert were contributed by Margaret Wilcox, formerly of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health; Georjean Madery, formerly of the Minnesota Department of Health; Steven Kerr, formerly of the Minnesota Department of Health; Thomas Ray of the Missouri Department of Health; and Wayne Johnson and Risto Rautiainen formerly of the University of Iowa. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers identified inaccurate references to OSHA regulations in the first edition of this Alert and provided technical reviews of the revised material. A technical review was also provided by OSHA’s Office of Construction Standards and Guidance. Cathy Rotunda edited the revised edition. Please direct any comments, questions, or requests for additional information to the following:
    • Dr. Nancy A. Stout, Director
    • Division of Safety Research
    • National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
    • 1095 Willowdale Road
    • Morgantown, WV 26505–2888
    • Telephone: 304–285–5894 or call 1–800– CDC–INFO (1–800–332–4636); TTY: 1–888–232–6348. E-mail: [email protected]
    • We greatly appreciate your help in protecting the safety and health of U.S. workers.
    • John Howard, MD
    • …
17. Page 17

    Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation

    • (MN FACE) Report No. 93MN06601.
    • Missouri Department of Health [1996]. Skidsteer loader operator dies after backing loader off six-foot retaining wall. Jefferson City, MO: Missouri Department of Health, Missouri Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (MO FACE) Report No. 96MO082.
    • NIOSH [1997a]. Laborer dies when caught between boom links and lift cylinder of skidsteer loading machine—North Carolina. Morgantown, WV: U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Safety Research, Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report No. 97-20.
    • NIOSH [1997b]. National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities (NTOF) Surveillance System. Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service,
    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Unpublished database.
    • Russell J, Conroy C [1991]. Representativeness of deaths identified through the injury at work item on the death certificate: implications for surveillance. Am J Public Health 81(12):1613–1618.
    • SAE J1388 [2008]. Surface vehicle standard personnel protection—skid-steer loaders. Warrendale, PA: SAE International, SAE 1388 FEB2008.
    • Stout N, Bell C [1991]. Effectiveness of source documents for identifying fatal occupational injuries: a synthesis of studies. Am J Public Health 81(6):725–728.
    • University of Iowa [1995]. Farmer dies while cleaning foot pedals of skid-steer loader— Iowa. …
    • …
18. Page 20

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    • DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2011–128
    • (supersedes 98–117)
    • SAFER • HEALTHIER • PEOPLE™
    • DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    • National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 4676 Columbia Parkway
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