How safe workers foster a healthy crushing industry

“Safety first” is more than a phrase. It is a shared responsibility and commitment among crushing operations’ owners and employees, alike.

It emphasizes the importance of saving lives, preventing injuries and protecting the health of workers everywhere when it comes to crushing.

There are many things operators can do to ensure the health and safety of their employees.

First and foremost, any time maintenance is performed on a crusher, it is critical to always lock out/tag out the power supply prior to performing maintenance, as well as when cleaning, repairing, setting up, adjusting or un-jamming the crusher. Lockout/tagout ensures the crusher is properly shut off and can’t be started again until maintenance is completed, preventing harm from any moving parts or the hazardous release from isolated energy sources.

Workers should always consult their owner’s manual before operating crushing equipment and comply with OEM safety guidelines therein.

Proper employee training is paramount to safety. It is the biggest role owner-operators and company management play in keeping workers safe.

Holding initial training sessions with new employees on safety practices before they ever hit the field is an important first step in helping keep all workers safe.

Just as important is holding regularly scheduled all-employee training sessions to refresh safety awareness and knowledge, and communicating new and necessary safety guidelines based on equipment additions or worksite changes. Remember, safety hazards may occur to even the most seasoned workers, so a refresher course can go a long way toward preventing accidents on the job.

One of the more proactive choices that safety conscientious operators and site workers can make to reduce risk is to remain vigilant. Don’t cut corners to avoid downtime, and be present in the moment to avoid error, oversight and unintentional disregard of safety practices.

Hopper feeder safety

When operating the hopper feeder, keep these safety requirements top of mind:

• Only feed appropriately sized material into the hopper feeder. To avoid obstructions, follow the F80 rule: Ensure that the general size of each rock being fed into the hopper feeder is, at most, 80 percent the size of the crusher opening into which the feeder processes material.

• If an obstruction occurs in the hopper feeder, shut down the crusher and follow proper lockout-tagout procedures as soon as possible to prevent operator injury or damage to the crusher. After the crushing plant is locked out/tagged out, remove the obstruction by mechanical means first. If the material cannot be removed by mechanical means, it should then only be manually removed by someone who has been competently trained.

• Never put body parts where they don’t belong. As material is being processed, never attempt to pick it out as it flows through the hopper. This kind of irresponsible activity – from atop the operator’s platform or on top of the crusher – is a breach of safety and could result in serious injury or death.

Have a spotter watching for any emerging issues whenever you are operating crushing equipment or assessing for safety concerns. Remember, saving lives is more important than saving time.

Daniel Friedman is vice president of marketing at Eagle Crusher Co.

Related: Equipment considerations for crushing applications