New safety measures target machinery roll-over deaths

Wednesday 17 March 1999

New safety measures to cut down the alarming death and injury rate from machinery roll-over accidents in industries such as forestry and construction will be launched this week.

The Approved Code of Practice for Operator Protective Structures on Self- Propelled Mobile Mechanical Plant is a joint effort by the Occupational Safety and Health Service (OSH) of the Department of Labour and industry. OSH worked closely with the New Zealand Contractors’ Federation in developing the code.

The application of the code to excavators is a world first.

Operators of heavy mobile mechanical plant such as bull dozers, excavators, loaders and graders are at risk of serious injury or even death by crushing if their machines roll over or tip onto their sides.

OSH national roll-over protective structures co-ordinator Peter Fisher said on average two people have been killed in roll-over accidents each year for the past 10 years. Many others have been seriously injured.

"This code has been prepared to assist employers and others by providing acceptable means of complying with their obligations under the HSE Act and its regulations," Mr Fisher said.

"It aims to provide guidance to employers as to what is meant by all practicable steps in terms of fitting protective structures to mobile mechanical plant."

The code recommends protective structure according to the level of risk or harm in any particular situation.

"Generally the risk depends on the terrain. There’s a low risk on flat, stable ground and a high risk on steep or unstable ground, or on work adjacent to embankments, excavations or ditches.

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Fitting an operator protective structure, together with wearing a seatbelt, can reduce the risk of serious injury or death in the event of a roll-over or tip-over."

Where there is a risk of objects falling onto machine operators or entering the driving position, such as trees in forestry work, or demolition material on construction sites, the operator also needs the security of a protective structure.

Where required by this code, all new plant and newly imported plant should be fitted with appropriate protective structures and seat belts from December 31, 1999. All existing plant should be fitted with appropriate protective structures and seatbelts by December 31, 2000.

Mr Fisher said application of the code to excavators was a world first and had raised real concerns amongst manufacturers of excavators.

There was no existing international standard for a roll-over structure for excavators.

"Through a lot of effort, working with engineers and manufacturers, we created a practical design which is effective."

The team met with all the major manufacturers of excavators throughout the world who agreed that roll-over protection was necessary but many had reservations about what could be incorporated into the cab.

The code is to be launched at the New Zealand Contractors’ Federation field days at Manfield, Feilding at the end of the week.

The Contractors’ Federation chief executive Pieter Burghout said the federation commended OSH for working with industry to jointly prepare the a code "which we know will work.

"We thank, in particular, Peter Fisher, for his sterling efforts in pulling the whole exercise together."

Copies of the code may also be obtained from any OSH branch listed under the Labour Department in the telephone book. The cost is $15. A free pamphlet on the code is also available from OSH branches.