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What happened?
An exit drive to a terminal was being graded in preparation for laying asphalt.
The excavator was moved just outside the exit gate and then tracked up the slope.
The spotter was busy putting down cones. Without the spotter’s clearance, the operator continued tracking the excavator up the slope.As he travelled up the grade, the clearance height was reduced and the excavator boom contacted and damaged the overhead communication line.
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Why did it happen?
The spotter was not in position to advise the excavator operator of the hazard.
The operator believed he had adequate clearance, but did not realise that the incline of the driveway would reduce the clearance height.
Goal posts were not in place to indicate the clearance distance to the overhead lines.
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What did they learn?
As vehicle operator, you don’t have a full picture of what is going on around you.
Wait until the spotter is in position before starting any activity.
Clearance should be received from the designated spotter before any activity resumes.
Goal posts should be in place to indicate the clearance distance to the overhead lines.
Check what type of overhead lines are present on-site – it is lucky this was not a power line!
A smaller excavator or an alternative machinery might have been less likely to contact the overhead lines.
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Ask yourself or your crew
What other actions could have been taken?
What would have happened if they had hit a power line instead?
Why do you think the excavator operator carried on with the activity without clearance from the designated spotter?
How would you intervene when someone is working in an unsafe manner?
What can we do differently today?
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Published on 02/04/19
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An exit drive to a terminal was being graded in preparation for laying asphalt. As he travelled up the grade, the clearance height was reduced and the excavator boom contacted and damaged the overhead communication line.
