Seven Essential Skid Steer Safety Tips

A skid steer is a versatile, useful and efficient machine that can be used in a wide variety of work environments. However, like any piece of large equipment, a skid steer can also be dangerous without the right knowledge and skill.

At V-Bar Equipment Company, your local source for equipment rental in Abilene, TX, we strive to ensure that our customers are able to get the most use out of the equipment they rent from us, while also staying safe. To that end, we’ve put together a list of essential tips for safely using a skid steer.

Read the manual or instructions

Even if you’ve used a skid steer before, if this is a new piece of equipment, you should still review the manual. Different manufacturers use different layouts for their machines, so even if it’s similar to a piece of equipment you’ve used before, that’s no guarantee that everything will be the same. Plus, the manual will offer recommendations for the most efficient ways of operating the machine.

Get trained

If you are not the only person who will be using the skid steer, be sure to properly train all personnel on the proper use, maintenance, and inspection of the skid steer. Do not assume that everyone is familiar with the use of this heavy-duty piece of equipment.

Stay seated and secure at all times

If the skid steer engine is turned on, you should be seated in the operator’s seat with the seatbelt fastened and the seat bar lowered. Be sure to also keep all body parts inside the cab at all times. Never attempt to activate the skid steer loader unless you are properly seated and secure.

No riders

This ties into our last safety tip. Riders should never be permitted on a skid steer loader. In order to safely be on a skid steer, one must be fastened in the operator’s seat. A skid steer does not come equipped with space to safely allow more than the operator to be safely transported.

Do not bypass safety mechanisms

Safety systems are there for a reason. You should never attempt to disable, bypass or override the safety mechanisms in the skid steer. If the skid steer has malfunctioning safety systems, you should not use the equipment until repairs can be made.

Keep up with routine inspections

On a busy day, it’s easy to skip an inspection, but that one time you cut corners will be the one time something goes wrong. Make inspections part of your routine maintenance. For inspection guidelines, check the manufacturer’s manual.

Make sure your work area is clear

No matter how skilled you may be in operating a skid steer, it’s important to make sure that people stay clear of your work area at all times to avoid accidents and liability.

By following these few simple tips, you can ensure that you and those around you are safe. For more tips like these or to arrange for equipment rental in Abilene, TX, including skid steer loaders, check out V-Bar Equipment Company.

Categorised in: Equipment Rental, Skid Steer Rental

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