How dangerous are hydraulic excavators? Not very – if they are used properly. But when employees forget basic safety procedures, even for a moment, the consequences can be serious.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) cites an example straight from the sewer construction and maintenance industry. A 28-year-old laborer and a co-worker, and an excavator operator were using a machine with a quick-disconnect bucket to load concrete manhole sections onto a truck.
The laborer was on the ground to connect the manhole sections to the excavator, while the co-worker was on the truck, disconnecting the sections after they were
