Cert III Mobile Plant key terms

The ranked order of ways to deal with a hazard, from most effective (eliminate the risk) through substitution, engineering controls and administration, down to the least reliable option of personal protective equipment.

The process of spotting anything in the workplace that could cause harm, before it causes injury or damage. It is the first step in risk management and should involve everyone on site.

Judging how likely a hazard is to cause harm and how severe that harm could be, so controls can be chosen in proportion to the risk. It is usually recorded and reviewed when conditions change.

A written document that sets out the high-risk work to be done, the hazards involved, the controls to be applied and who is responsible. Workers must be consulted and follow it on site.

A step-by-step breakdown of a task in which each step is examined for hazards and given a control measure. It is often prepared with the crew before starting unfamiliar or hazardous work.

A short, informal briefing held with the work crew before a shift or task to discuss hazards, controls, changes and lessons from recent incidents. Attendance is normally recorded.

Clothing and equipment worn to reduce exposure to hazards, such as hard hats, boots, gloves, high-visibility garments, hearing protection and eye protection. It is the last line of defence, not a substitute for other controls.

Earmuffs or earplugs worn to reduce noise reaching the ear. They must be selected for the noise level, fitted correctly and kept clean, because even a small leak sharply reduces their effectiveness.

Masks and respirators worn to stop dust, fumes or vapours being breathed in. Correct fit, filter selection and facial seal are essential, and facial hair can prevent an adequate seal.

A list kept on site of every hazardous chemical used or stored there, together with its safety data sheet. It tells workers what is present, where it is kept and what the dangers are.

A document supplied by the chemical manufacturer describing a product's hazards, safe handling, first aid, fire-fighting measures and storage. It must be readily accessible to workers who use the substance.

Any activity that requires a person to lift, lower, push, pull, carry or otherwise move a load by hand or bodily force. Poor technique or excessive loads cause strains and musculoskeletal injuries.

A written record of an accident, near miss, injury or property damage, completed promptly after the event. It supports investigation, corrective action, notification duties and any compensation claim.

An unplanned event that did not cause injury or damage but had the potential to do so. Reporting near misses allows the cause to be fixed before a more serious event occurs.

The documented arrangements for getting people safely away from a workplace in an emergency, including alarms, escape routes, assembly points and the duties of wardens. It must be practised and kept current.

The procedure for shutting off and physically locking energy sources such as engines, hydraulics, electricity or pressure so the machine cannot be started or move while people work on it.

Attaching a clearly marked tag to an isolation point or control to show that the equipment must not be operated. A tag alone does not prevent operation, so it is used with a lock.

A site plan showing how people, vehicles and mobile plant will move safely, including roads, exclusion zones, speed limits, pedestrian routes and crossing points. It is reviewed as the site layout changes.

A marked area around operating plant where people are not permitted to walk, keeping them clear of moving parts, falling loads and slew paths. Barriers or signage usually define its boundary.

A trained person who stands clear of the load and directs a plant operator when the operator's view is restricted. The operator follows the spotter's signals and stops if communication is lost.

An area around a machine that the operator cannot see directly or by mirrors. Blind spots grow with load size and machine type, so operators must check them before moving.

A routine inspection carried out before operating plant, covering fluids, tyres or tracks, guards, alarms, lights, brakes and attachments. Faults are recorded and the machine is not used until they are fixed.

The record kept with a machine or in the workshop noting inspections, servicing, faults, repairs and operating hours. It provides the maintenance history needed for safety and compliance.

A table supplied with lifting plant showing the maximum safe load at various radii, boom lengths and configurations. The operator must check it before every lift because capacity falls quickly as reach increases.

The maximum load a machine or attachment is designed and certified to handle in a stated configuration. It is not a target, and it reduces when the machine is on a slope or the load is not centred.

The horizontal distance from the machine's tipping point or centre of rotation to the centre of gravity of the load. Increasing radius reduces the load that can be safely handled.

A machine's resistance to tipping over. It depends on the position of its centre of gravity relative to its wheelbase or tracks, and is reduced by slopes, soft ground, swinging loads and raised booms.

The point at which the machine's weight, including any load, is considered to act. Raising a boom or swinging a load shifts this point and can move it outside the machine's stable base.

Extendable legs lowered to widen a machine's base and take load off the wheels or tracks. They must be fully deployed on firm, level ground with pads fitted before lifting begins.

The load a machine imposes on the ground beneath its tracks, wheels or outrigger pads. Soft or unstable ground can fail under this pressure, causing the machine to sink or tip.

The rotation of an excavator or crane's upper structure about its vertical axis. Slewing swings the load and creates a crush zone, so people must stay outside the swing radius.

Any hole, trench or cut made in the ground by removing material. Excavations must be located clear of buried services and supported or battered to prevent collapse.

The sudden caving-in of the sides of an excavated trench, which can bury or crush workers inside. Shoring, battering or shielding is required to prevent it.

Cutting the sides of an excavation into a series of steps or terraces to reduce the risk of collapse. The bench dimensions must suit the soil type and be inspected regularly.

Buried pipes, cables and conduits such as water, gas, electricity and communications. Their location must be confirmed by plans and locating equipment before any digging starts.

The pile of excavated material placed beside a trench or hole. It must be set back far enough that its weight does not surcharge the excavation walls or fall back in.

The horizontal distance from the face of the forks to the centre of gravity of the load. The further out the load centre, the lower the capacity of the forklift.

A forklift whose heavy rear section balances the load carried on forks at the front. It steers with the rear wheels, so the rear of the machine swings wide during turns.

A steering arrangement in which the rear wheels turn to direct the machine. It gives a tight turning circle but causes the rear to swing outward, creating a crush hazard for nearby people.

The vertical lifting structure of a forklift along which the carriage and forks travel. Mast height, free lift and residual capacity all affect what the machine can safely do.

The moving frame on the mast that carries the forks or other attachments. It runs on rollers and must be inspected for wear, cracks and loose fasteners.

A machine designed to raise people, with tools and materials, to a work position, such as a scissor lift or boom lift. It is not a crane and must not be used to lift loads.

An elevating work platform that rises vertically on crossed folding arms. It is stable on firm level ground but must not be moved while elevated unless designed for it.

An elevating work platform with an articulated or telescopic arm that reaches up and out to the work position. Its reach makes stability and ground conditions critical.

A system that prevents a person from reaching a position where a fall is possible, for example a harness and lanyard adjusted to limit movement. It differs from fall arrest, which stops a fall already underway.

Equipment that stops a person who has already fallen and limits the forces on the body, usually a full-body harness attached to an anchor. It requires clearance below and prompt rescue arrangements.

A structural fixing to which fall protection equipment is attached. It must be rated for the intended load and positioned so the fall distance and swing are kept to a minimum.

A device that warns the operator when an elevating work platform is on a slope beyond its permitted limit. The alarm means the machine should be lowered and repositioned.