UK CPCS Dumper Theory Exam cheat sheet

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

Employees must take reasonable care of themselves and others, cooperate with their employer on health and safety, and not intentionally interfere with or misuse safety provisions.

PUWER 1998 requires work equipment to be suitable, maintained in efficient working order, inspected where required, and used only by competent persons.

CDM 2015 requires construction work to be planned and managed to eliminate or control risks; traffic and pedestrian segregation are typical control measures.

LOLER 1998 applies to lifting operations using lifting equipment, including slinging a dumper; operations must be planned by a competent person and equipment thoroughly examined where required.

RIDDOR requires specified work-related deaths, injuries, dangerous occurrences and occupational diseases to be reported to the enforcing authority.

Environmental duties include preventing pollution, controlling spills, segregating waste, minimising dust and noise, and reporting environmental incidents under the site plan.

If a task cannot be done safely, the decision rule is to stop and report to the supervisor; production pressure does not authorise unsafe work.

Red circular signs with a diagonal slash are prohibition signs; yellow triangles are warning signs; blue circles are mandatory signs; green rectangles show safe conditions or escape routes; red rectangles show fire equipment.

Site induction communicates hazards, traffic routes, emergency assembly points, first-aid arrangements, security rules and permit-to-work requirements.

Pedestrian and vehicle routes should be segregated; where segregation is not possible, barriers, signage, speed limits and banksmen are used as controls.

A banksman directs machine movements using agreed hand signals; the operator stops if signals are unclear, the banksman is not visible, or a person enters the danger area.

Permit-to-work systems control high-risk tasks such as excavation near buried services, confined-space entry, hot works and work near overhead power lines.

Exclusion zones keep people out of turning, slewing and tipping areas; operators check mirrors and blind spots before moving.

Method statements and risk assessments identify hazards, controls, work sequence, plant and emergency arrangements before work starts.

If overhead power lines are present, maintain the site-specified clearance and treat any contact as an emergency; do not leave the cab unless told it is safe.

PPE is a last line of defence; it does not replace elimination, guarding, ventilation, safe systems of work or other engineering controls.

Typical dumper site PPE includes a safety helmet, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear, and task-specific eye, hearing, respiratory and hand protection.

High-visibility clothing must be clean, correctly fastened and visible; damaged or badly soiled garments reduce conspicuity and must be replaced.

Hearing protection zones require suitable ear defenders; uncontrolled noise should be reported and protection used as instructed.

Construction welfare facilities include toilets, washing facilities, drinking water, rest areas, and accommodation for changing and storing clothing.

Good hygiene requires washing hands before eating or drinking and after handling fuel, oils, grease or contaminated soil.

If PPE is damaged, ill-fitting or missing, the decision rule is to stop the task and obtain suitable replacement before continuing.

Dust controls include water suppression, extraction, enclosed cabs with filtration, and suitable respiratory protective equipment; silica dust is a serious health hazard.

Dumper controls typically include steering, accelerator, service brake, parking brake, forward/reverse and gear selection, and the skip or tipper lever.

Instruments include speedometer, hour meter, fuel gauge, engine temperature, oil pressure, battery or charge indicator, and warning lamps.

Warning lamp colours: red means stop and investigate; amber means caution or fault; green or blue indicates a system operating or provides information.

ROPS protects against roll-over and FOPS protects against falling objects; both must be undamaged and unmodified, and the seat belt must be worn where fitted.

The rated capacity or load limit is stated on the machine plate or load chart; exceeding it reduces stability, braking and steering control.

A seat or deadman switch may stop drive or apply the parking brake when the operator leaves the seat; the operator must know its operation.

Skip controls raise, hold and lower the skip; some machines have power-down, and the emergency lowering procedure must be known.

After starting, warning lights should extinguish; if a red warning lamp remains on, the decision rule is to stop and report.

The daily pre-use check covers tyres and wheels, fluid levels, leaks, battery, lights, horn, mirrors, seat belt, ROPS/FOPS, skip pins and hoses.

Fluid checks include engine oil, coolant, hydraulic oil, fuel, brake fluid where applicable, and screen wash; the correct grade must be used.

Tyre checks include pressure, cuts, bulges, embedded objects, missing wheel nuts, and correct matching and condition.

Brake response is tested at low speed in a safe area; steering free play, horn and lights are also checked before work.

A safety-critical defect requires the machine to be stopped, isolated, tagged or key-removed, reported to the supervisor and recorded in the defect log.

Refuelling requires the engine off, no smoking or naked flame, spill avoidance, a funnel where needed, and replacement of the fuel cap.

A hot pressurised coolant cap must not be opened until the engine has cooled; escaping steam and coolant can cause severe burns.

Maintenance is done only by competent persons, and guards must be replaced before the machine is returned to service.

A loaded dumper travels with the skip fully lowered, within payload, at a speed suited to ground conditions, and avoids sharp turns.

On a downhill gradient, select a low gear before the slope, keep the load low and use engine braking; avoid gear changes and sharp turns on the slope.

For uphill travel, select low gear before the slope and keep enough momentum; do not spin the wheels or turn across the slope.

Side slopes increase overturn risk because the centre of gravity shifts sideways; avoid side slopes or reduce speed and keep the load low.

On soft ground or near edges, check bearing capacity, keep back from excavations, trenches and embankments, and use a banksman where instructed.

Before moving, check mirrors and all around the machine; use the horn at blind corners and stop if visibility is restricted.

Stopping distance increases with speed, load and wet or muddy ground; maintain separation from other plant and pedestrians.

If the machine starts to slide or tip, do not jump; stay seated with the seat belt fastened and follow the trained emergency procedure.

The rated payload must never be exceeded; overload raises the centre of gravity and reduces braking and steering control.

Loads should be distributed evenly across the skip; uneven loads shift weight and increase overturn risk.

Tipping is carried out on firm, level ground; check ahead and behind for edges, services, people and obstructions before raising the skip.

Before discharging, apply the parking brake, ensure the machine is stable, check that no persons are in the tip area, and use a banksman if visibility is poor.

Raise the skip only as far as needed; do not travel with the skip raised, and lower it before moving.

At a tip edge, maintain the site stand-off distance or use stop blocks; spoil and ground edges can collapse under the machine.

When discharging into a trench or excavation, keep the machine back from the edge and ensure the sides are stable; never tip over people.

Stability rule: raising the load or working on a slope moves the centre of gravity higher and sideways, so reduce load and speed and keep the skip low.

Shutdown sequence: park on firm level ground, lower the skip, select neutral, apply the parking brake, switch off the engine and remove the key.

If slope parking is unavoidable, apply the parking brake, chock the wheels and position the machine as the manufacturer and site rules require; the parking brake alone may not hold.

Remove the key and lock the cab or controls to secure the machine against unauthorised use, especially at shift end.

Environmental controls include drip trays under leaks, an available spill kit, a secure fuel cap, and segregated waste oil and fluids.

The parking location and any defects are reported, and the shutdown checklist and handover are completed.

Unnecessary idling wastes fuel and creates exhaust emissions and noise; switch off the engine when safe and when the machine is not required.

Before leaving the machine, confirm the skip is fully lowered and attachments are secure; a raised skip can drop.

In the refuelling area, contain spills, use bunded storage, keep fuel away from drains and watercourses, and report any spill immediately.