The safe and legal transportation of heavy goods and construction machinery is no simple job. When handling certain pieces of large equipment, a set loading, transportation, and unloading procedure is not just the best practice but it’s the only practice. We would advise you to follow these guidelines for the safe transportation of your heavy machinery.
- Perform a Documented Risk Assessment
With heavy machinery liability, construction firms bear the responsibility of ensuring all rules and regulations are assessed and followed. Risk assessments are basically compliance documents that report how detailed and thorough your fleet management processes are.
- Outfit Sites With PPE
You know it, we know it, safety is the backbone of the industry. Ensuring your labour force wears a complete set of personal protective equipment is a safety standard across any and all construction firms at any point, not just when preparing for the safe and legal transportation of heavy goods. It’s also somewhat routinely overlooked, with countless sites taking shortcuts to chain up a trailer quickly and move on to the next task.
- Inspect the Trailer & Heavy Equipment
The next thing you want to do is to check your heavy equipment is ready to roll. You should also carry out a complete inspection of the trailer or truck you are hauling the goods with. Make sure neither has any issues with their tires, brakes, lights, etc. You must check the capabilities of the truck or trailer and ensure their tie-down points can manage the required load. Make sure everything is in working order and in line with regulations.
- Plan Your Transportation Route
Simple step but know the route you plan to take when hauling heavy equipment. Bear in mind possible risks, clearance with bridges, how much space you have for turns, and the starts and stops you’ll be taking with your equipment loaded on your vehicle or trailer. Be wary of roads that travel on which may be uphill and downhill, as this will make controlling the vehicle difficult due to the added weight of the machine. Also transporting the equipment on clear days will make it a lot more of a smooth journey, ideally do not travel in rain or snow. Oversized loads must be marked with signs and lights as you make your way down the highway.
- Safely Load and Unload Equipment
An obvious tip is to take caution when loading and unloading your equipment onto the trailer or truck bed, ensure you do this with a workforce that’s ready for the task. The staff should be trained and ready to drive or move the machinery onto a steady ramp, deck or trailer. Also, you must have a spotter to provide directions, and just always make sure the surrounding areas are clear.
- Safe and Defensive Driving
Practice safe, defensive driving with your transportation vehicle and equipment at the job site. You should have areas designated as entrances and exits for loading and unloading your heavy equipment. Mark them with cones, fencing, barriers, and signs, and inform your workforce. Whether it’s a large piece of machinery or these utility vehicles for sale, always wear a seatbelt. Have someone spot you as you reverse, check your surroundings, have clear visibility for the direction you’re moving, and back-up alarms.
Omnia Machinery is an industry expert in used construction equipment and a trusted machinery trader. We stock a wide variety of quality used construction equipment to suit many different jobs such as cranes, road equipment, quarry, earthmoving, piling, drilling and underground mining. We provide our customers with all information and pictures with their quotation before any sale is agreed upon. From inspections to shipping, we are here to support you through every step of the transaction and keep you informed throughout the whole process enabling you to purchase in confidence. Contact us today with your machinery requirements.