Shutdown, parking, security and environmental controls
Parking and shutdown
Park on firm, level ground, away from excavation edges, overhead lines and site traffic routes. Lower the skip fully, apply the parking brake, put controls in neutral, stop the engine, remove the key and isolate the machine where required. On any slope, chock the wheels - the parking brake alone is not enough. Complete the end-of-shift check, record anything found, and hand the machine over properly.
Security
Plant theft is a major cost to the industry. Remove the key, lock the cab or covers, set any immobiliser or CESAR-type marking system, and park where it can be seen or in a secure compound. Never leave a machine running and unattended; it is a serious safety and security failure, and it also wastes fuel and creates noise.
Environmental controls
Refuelling is a high-risk, high-pollution activity: engine off, no smoking or naked flame, bonded or bunded storage, drip trays, and a spill kit to hand. Report any spill immediately and use absorbent, not a hose, to disperse it. Segregate waste correctly and use the duty of care paperwork. Control dust with the site's water suppression and cover loads where required; keep noise down and avoid unnecessary idling; handle AdBlue and oils as the safety data sheet directs; and never allow hydraulic oil or coolant to reach drains or watercourses.
Traps
- Leaving a machine on a slope on the parking brake alone.
- Assuming a small fuel spill is unimportant - any spill to a drain or watercourse is reportable.
- Parking across a pedestrian route or fire point.
Rule of thumb
Shutdown is a routine, not a rush: skip down, brake on, neutral, engine off, key out, wheels chocked if on any slope.