Washington — In an effort to prevent backover incidents on construction sites, OSHA has launched an initiative aimed at raising awareness of safe practices.
The agency says more than a quarter of backover incidents occur in construction, leading all industries.
The #MirrorCheck initiative highlights effective solutions to minimize backover risks:
- Equip heavy machinery with audio and visual alarms, which can improve worker awareness – especially in blind spots – and encourage caution when operating machinery around workers.
- Properly adjust mirrors to minimize blind spots.
- Use spotters to maintain constant visual contact with drivers and establish hand signals to communicate effectively. Spotters should wear high-visibility clothing and have no other duties or distractions.
- Install rearview cameras to enhance safety without blocking a driver’s view. For larger vehicles such as dump trucks, multiple cameras may be needed.
- Employ proximity detection systems, such as radar or ultrasonic technologies, that can be mounted on some vehicles.
- Develop internal traffic control plans to coordinate equipment, worker and vehicle movement.
