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Mine Safety and Health Administration MSHA's Accident Prevention Program
Miner's Tip

When To Stay Inside Your Equipment

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 Safety Something YOU can live with!
Mine Type: All
Category: Belt Conveyors and Material Handling, General Safety, Haulage and Transportation, Material Handling


When To Stay Inside Your Equipment     When To Stay Inside Your Equipment
3 Deaths have occurred in recent years because pedestrians were struck by haulage trucks or loaders. One unfortunate accident occurred when a loader operator backed over his wife when placing material along a newly installed truck scale.

When you dismount your mobile equipment you become the pedestrian. Unless you are in a designated area for parking and dismounting your equipment, do not dismount. A person outside the cab is exposed to numerous hazards; including mobile equipment, stockpile sloughing, material falling from loader bucket, material falling off trucks, conveyors, etc.

  • Require operators to prepare trucks for loading before entering the loading area; truck safety inspection, cleaning bed, checking tires.


  • Instruct loader operators to halt loading activities if the truck operator is outside of vehicle.
  • Prepare an area where haulage vehicles and equipment operators can safely park during breaks. The area should include ample space for turning and maneuvering when other mobile equipment is present.


  • Pedestrians should notify all equipment operators of their location at all times before they enter the operating area of the mobile equipment. NEVER ASSUME YOU ARE IN THE VIEW OF THE OPERATOR - MAKE EYE CONTACT.



    • Issued: 10/04/2006
    Tag # AP2006 - 92802


    MSHA extends a thank you and a tip of the hardhat to
    Robert Lemasters,
    a winner of a limited edition sticker and patch.


    If you have a tip you would like to pass on, you can e-mail it to zzMSHA-MinersTips@dol.gov. If your Miner's tip is selected, you will receive credit in this space.