Equipment World Staff (EQW)Safety WatchIn the trenches: One of the most preventable accidents can also be the deadliestThe accident: Three workers were repairing a water main break in a 7-foot-deep, 5-foot-wide excavation. To expose the water main, one worker working with a shovel at the bottom of the trench undercut the roadway.April 15, 2014Safety WatchTreacherous trenching: Knowing the guidelines keeps you out of harm’s wayThe accident: Two laborers were installing water lines in a 9-foot-deep, 7-foot-wide trench with vertical walls. A corner of the trench collapsed, pinning one worker under a large chunk of dirt.April 15, 2014Safety WatchHeavy load: Trailer overloading may harm both your load and the traffic around youThe accident: A pickup truck was towing an overloaded trailer when it caused a multiple-vehicle accident, closing one road for several hours and sending four people to the hospital. The trailer, carrying a skid steer, weighed 9,220 pounds, well over the 3,700-pound weight limit of the trailer hitch.April 15, 2014Safety WatchSafe hauling: Learn your load limits when trailering heavy equipmentThe accident: Going down a busy Interstate, a construction supervisor was hauling a backhoe on a trailer. The backhoe flipped off the trailer, falling onto a minivan…April 15, 2014Safety WatchTricky transport: Hauling equipment safely means more than just load-and-goThe accident: A tractor-trailer hauling construction machines rear-ended a pickup truck with two men inside. The tractor-trailer ended up on top of the pickup before going off the road.April 15, 2014Safety WatchLethal loads: Unloading a trailer can be deadly unless you follow the proper procedureThe accident: A truck driver was unloading wood chip material from his open-top trailer via a moveable floor conveyor unit. During the unloading process, the load became jammed, and the driver climbed to the top of the trailer to clear the obstruction.April 15, 2014Safety WatchStay put: You’re safer inside a tipping forklift than outsideThe accident: After putting his machine in reverse on some banking, a rough terrain operator felt his machine start to tip. Panicking, the operator threw himself from the forklift and was immediately crushed by the tipping machine.April 15, 2014Safety WatchSlippery slopes: Stay aware of changing soil conditions when using a trencherThe accident: A crew was installing underground telecommunications cable when the trencher operator started to maneuver the trencher out of a ditch on the edge of roadway. The shoulder of the roadway gave way and caused the machine to roll toward the ditch.April 15, 2014Safety WatchKeep your balance: Moving materials with a backhoe calls for extreme careThe accident: A crew replacing cracked drainpipes used a backhoe to carry replacement concrete pipes to a utility trench. The backhoe operator lifted several pipes from the bed of a truck onto the loader bucket and began moving across the rubble-covered worksite towards the trench.April 15, 2014Safety WatchCareful compaction: Ignoring safety procedures could be a costly mistakeThe accident: An operator was running a compactor over a newly created gravel shoulder on a road improvement project. In attempting to maneuver the front tires around a road sign, the operator drove the compactor too far off the shoulder and onto a 15-degree slope.April 15, 2014Previous PagePage 36 of 591Next PageTop StoriesRoadbuilding equipmentTop Roadbuilding Equipment of 2025: Motor Graders, Rollers, and MoreIt was a big year for roadbuilding equipment announcements. Here are the top picks for 2025 from Equipment World editors.VideosMost Viewed Construction Equipment – Our Top 10 “Closer Look” Videos of 2025Construction EquipmentAntique Caterpillars Rule! – Top 5 Vintage Equipment Stories of 2025Compact ExcavatorsCloser Look: Develon DX35Z-7 Mini Excavator Excels at Digging in Tight SpacesExcavatorsKomatsu's New PC365-11 Hybrid Excavator Boosts Power, Cuts Fuel Use
