CSCS 360° Excavator cheat sheet

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974: general duties on employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of employees and others affected by the undertaking.

Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER): work equipment must be suitable, maintained in efficient order and repair, inspected at suitable intervals, and used only by competent, trained persons.

Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER): lifting equipment and accessories require thorough examination at intervals not exceeding 6 months (12 months for non-lifting accessories), and lifting operations must be planned by a competent person.

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 2002 (COSHH): risk assessment required before work with hazardous substances such as diesel, hydraulic oil, battery acid and silica dust from cutting.

Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR): specified dangerous occurrences, including collapse or overturning of lifting machinery, must be reported to the enforcing authority.

Environmental Protection Act 1990 and waste duty of care: excavated spoil, used oils, filters and contaminated absorbents are controlled waste requiring authorised carriers and transfer documentation.

Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) Regulations: oil stored above specified volumes must be within a bunded container or secondary containment of at least 110% of the largest container.

Noise Regulations 2005 and Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005: action values trigger assessment, information and health surveillance for operators exposed to machine noise and whole-body vibration.

Risk assessment hierarchy of control order: eliminate, substitute, engineering controls, administrative controls, then personal protective equipment last.

A hazard is a source of potential harm; risk is the combination of likelihood and severity of that harm occurring.

Five steps of risk assessment: identify hazards, decide who may be harmed and how, evaluate risk and controls, record findings, review and update.

Common 360° excavator hazards: overturning, contact with overhead lines, striking pedestrians, buried services, falling into excavations, attachment detachment, and ground collapse at edges.

Exclusion zone rule: keep pedestrians outside the machine's maximum working radius plus a margin; the slew zone of the upper structure and counterweight is a crush hazard.

Permit-to-work and authorised person systems apply where the work is high risk, including excavation near services, lifting operations and work on live overhead lines.

Near-miss reporting is a leading indicator; incidents without injury still require recording and investigation to prevent recurrence.

Site induction, toolbox talks and method statements communicate residual risk; changes to the method require reassessment before work continues.

PPE is the last line of defence and does not replace engineering or procedural controls; it must be suitable, CE/UKCA marked and maintained.

Minimum typical site PPE: safety helmet, high-visibility clothing to the appropriate class, safety footwear with toe and penetration protection, and eye protection when required.

Hearing protection is mandatory where noise exposure reaches or exceeds the upper action value of 85 dB(A) daily; protection zones are marked accordingly.

Safety sign categories by shape and colour: prohibition is red circle with diagonal bar, mandatory is blue circle, warning is yellow triangle, safe condition and escape is green rectangle.

A safe system of work defines the sequence of operations, controls, responsibilities and emergency arrangements for a specific task.

Banking or signalling: a competent signaller must be used where the operator's view is obstructed, using agreed hand signals or radio with a designated frequency.

Segregation of plant and pedestrians is achieved by physical barriers and designated walkways, not by signage alone.

Respiratory protection such as FFP3 may be required for dust-generating tasks; face-fit testing is required for tight-fitting masks.

Principal assemblies: undercarriage (tracks, rollers, idlers, sprockets), upper structure (house, counterweight, cab), boom, dipper arm, bucket linkage and hydraulic system.

Hydraulic circuit types: open-centre load-sensing and closed-centre; main components are pump, control valves, cylinders, motors, hoses and hydraulic oil tank.

Tracked undercarriage provides low ground pressure and stability; wheeled variants offer higher travel speed but require outriggers or axle locks for digging stability.

Control pattern: ISO excavator pattern uses left joystick for slew and arm, right joystick for boom and bucket; some machines use backhoe pattern with different assignment.

Instrumentation includes hour meter, engine coolant and hydraulic oil temperature gauges, fuel gauge, warning lamps for oil pressure, charging, filters and overload, plus a load moment or stability indicator where fitted.

Safety devices: ROPS and FOPS certification for the cab, seat belt, travel alarm, horn, reversing alarm, boom and arm holding valves, and hydraulic lockout lever.

Quick coupler systems must be of a type that cannot release the attachment unless the locking pin is fully engaged; a check procedure is required after each change.

Daily service points include engine oil level, coolant, hydraulic oil level, fuel and water separators, track tension, and greasing of pins and bushings.

Pre-use check sequence: walk-around inspection, fluid levels, leaks, structural cracks, track condition, guards, then cab checks of controls, instruments, horn and alarm before starting.

PUWER requires inspection by a competent person at intervals determined by risk; excavators are typically subject to daily operator checks plus periodic statutory inspections.

Report defects immediately; defects affecting safe operation require the machine to be taken out of service, tagged and isolated until repaired.

Hydraulic hoses must be inspected for chafing, bulging, leaks and perished rubber; a pinhole leak can inject fluid under skin and is a medical emergency.

Track tension is checked by measuring sag on the longest run of track; over-tension damages bearings, under-tension causes derailment.

Greasing schedule follows the manufacturer's manual; pins, bushings, bucket linkage and slew bearing require regular lubrication.

Records must be kept of inspections, maintenance and repairs, and of thorough examinations where LOLER applies to lifting attachments.

Never use hands to search for hydraulic leaks; use cardboard or a mirror, and depressurise the system before maintenance.

Stability is governed by the machine's centre of gravity remaining within the support base; lifting a load, slewing with a full bucket or travelling on a slope all move the centre of gravity.

Load charts give rated capacity at a stated radius and height; capacity decreases as the radius increases, and the rating assumes level, firm ground.

Travel on slopes: keep the heavier end of the machine uphill, keep the bucket low, and avoid slewing or lifting while on a gradient.

Ground bearing pressure is increased by the machine's weight, load and dynamic forces; unstable ground such as backfilled trenches, excavations and soft clay requires assessment and may need mats or a different position.

Safe travel rules: look in the direction of travel, use a signaller where visibility is restricted, sound the horn before moving, and keep the bucket approximately 300 mm above ground.

Speed and steering on tracked machines: counter-rotation turns on the spot and causes ground damage; gradual steering reduces track wear and load swing.

Working near edges: maintain a setback from the excavation edge based on the machine weight and soil condition; spoil and machines must not surcharge the edge.

Overhead and underground hazards must be identified before travel; check for power lines, pipework, culverts and services along the route.

Before digging, obtain service drawings and use a cable avoidance tool and a safe digging practice; hand-dig trial holes to confirm the position of buried services.

Excavation support: battering, benching, shoring or trench boxes prevent collapse; spoil and materials must be set back from the edge to avoid surcharge.

Lifting operations with an excavator require a planned lift, a rated capacity indicator or load chart, certified lifting points and accessories, and a competent appointed person.

Never lift a load over people; keep the load close to the machine, slew slowly, and use tag lines to control rotation.

Attachment selection must match the task and machine; a bucket, breaker, grapple or lifting hook has different weight and load characteristics that affect the rated capacity.

Working near overhead lines: assume lines are live, maintain the safe clearance distance specified for the line voltage, and use goalposts or barriers to mark the limit.

Excavation spoil must be stockpiled clear of the trench edge; spoil can also conceal hazards and obstruct access routes.

Stop work and report immediately if any unknown service, void, contamination or archaeological feature is encountered during excavation.

Shutdown sequence: park on firm level ground, lower all attachments to the ground, neutralise controls, engage the hydraulic lockout, apply the parking brake, idle the engine to cool, then stop and remove the key.

Parking position should avoid blocking access, excavations, fire points and traffic routes; the bucket should rest on the ground with the machine on level ground.

Refuelling requires the engine switched off, no smoking or naked flames, a bonded earth connection where specified, and spill kits available; absorbents must be disposed of as controlled waste.

Fuel and oil spills must be contained and reported; environmental spill kits and drain protection are part of the site's emergency arrangements.

Loading for transport: use ramps of adequate width and rating, align the machine, travel in low range, secure with rated chains or straps at the designated tie-down points, and fit the attachment securely.

Before transport, check the machine's dimensions, weight and height against route restrictions and the transport vehicle's rated capacity.

Emergency procedures: know the location of first aid, fire extinguishers, spill kits and the emergency contact; isolate the machine and call for help in the event of fire or injury.

Fire on a machine: stop the engine if safe, isolate the battery, evacuate the area and use the appropriate extinguisher; hydraulic fluid and diesel fires require foam or dry powder, not water.

Maximum reach and digging depth are quoted in the manufacturer's specification at a stated bucket and arm configuration; these figures assume the machine is level.

When lifting at maximum radius the machine's rated capacity is limited by stability rather than hydraulic capacity; the load chart states which limit applies.

Travel with a loaded bucket: carry the bucket low and close to the machine, avoid slewing while travelling, and reduce speed on uneven ground.

On soft ground, track pads sink and the machine's effective support base changes; check for voids, old foundations and backfilled trenches before positioning.

Slew brakes and holding valves prevent the upper structure and boom from drifting; test them during the pre-use check and report drift as a defect.

Weather effects: high winds increase the load on the boom and reduce stability, and rain or frost reduce traction and ground bearing capacity.

Working on a gradient: avoid travelling across the slope, keep the bucket on the downhill side, and never slew with a raised load on a slope.

Confined or restricted areas require a planned position, a signaller and a defined slew envelope to prevent contact with structures and people.

Cable strikes: if a machine contacts an overhead line, the operator should stay in the cab and warn others away; if escape is necessary, jump clear and move away with feet together.

Buried service strike: stop work, evacuate the area, do not operate switches or start engines near a suspected gas leak, and call the emergency services and the utility.

Lifting accessories must be marked with their safe working load and have a current thorough examination certificate; discard damaged slings and shackles.

The rated capacity of the machine when using a lifting attachment is reduced by the weight of the attachment itself; deduct this from the load chart figure.

Quick coupler failure is a known cause of fatal incidents; a visual check of the locking pin and a test lift before the task are required after each attachment change.

Excavation near services: use a permit, a spotter, insulated tools where specified, and hand-dig within the defined clearance zone around the service.

Spoil and materials must not be placed within the zone of influence of the excavation; the zone depends on soil type, depth and support method.

Attachments such as breakers and grabs change the machine's centre of gravity and reach; the manufacturer's operating instructions for the attachment must be followed.

Before leaving the cab, complete the shutdown sequence and confirm the hydraulic lockout is engaged so that inadvertent control movement cannot occur.

Parking on a slope should be avoided; if unavoidable, chock the tracks and lower the attachment to the ground on the downhill side.

Refuelling: engine off, no ignition sources, nozzle bonded to the tank, and drip trays under the fill point; record fuel use and dispose of contaminated materials correctly.

Transport preparation: clean the machine, secure loose items, fold or remove attachments as required, and confirm the transport vehicle's load rating and securing points.

Tie-down points are specified by the manufacturer and are not the same as lifting points; using the wrong point can damage the structure or fail under load.

Emergency drills should cover fire, spill, injury and machine rollover, and the location of first aid and emergency contacts must be known to all operators.

After an incident, preserve the scene, record the machine's condition and instrument readings, and do not return the machine to service until inspected and cleared.

Battery isolation and fuel shut-off locations should be identified during the pre-use check so they can be operated quickly in an emergency.