An Essential Guide to Plant Equipment Health and Safety

Running a plant or agricultural site comes with a range of risks, and keeping workers safe should always be a priority. 

Health and safety is also a legal obligation for site managers and business owners, and keeping machinery in the best condition plays a key role in this. At The Windscreen Company, we provide leading glass repairs and replacements for plant and agricultural clients across the West Midlands and the South East, ensuring machinery and vehicles are always safe to use.

Let’s take a closer look at how you can guarantee your health and safety for your plant equipment.

Assess risks

Before you or your workers start using any vehicles or machinery, you need to make sure they are safe. Spend some time carrying out risk assessments, checking that:

• The machine is free from obvious defects 
• Glass and windscreens are in good condition
• Safeguards are working
• Static machines have been installed properly 

If you notice any issues, make sure you seek immediate repairs or professional advice.

Make sure you’re using the right machine

While it might sound obvious, making sure the machine you are using is the right one for the job is imperative to health and safety. 

Using a machine incorrectly or for a purpose it was not designed for can be extremely dangerous, so always make sure your team is using vehicles and machinery appropriate for the job at hand. 

Some of the vehicles and machines that the team here at The Windscreen Company are experienced with include:

• Bulldozers
• Combine harvesters
• Cranes
• Diggers
• Forklifts
• Graders
• Loaders
• Tractors 

Use control measures 

There is a wide range of control measures you can put in place to make sure your machines are in the safest condition possible. This includes:

• Keeping dangerous parts enclosed and inaccessible 
• If programmes are controlled electronically, make sure they are always up-to-date
• Mark all switches and controls clearly
• Ensure emergency stop buttons are within easy reach 
• Don’t let unauthorised or untrained people use the machines 
• Keep working areas clear and hazard-free

Machinery safety for workers 

There are some key machine safety tips for workers that you need to be aware of and must ensure your team adheres to to keep them safe. This can include:

Ensure machinery is safe

First and foremost, ensuring that machinery is in a safe condition always needs to be a priority. This includes regularly checking the machine’s condition, frequently handling maintenance, keeping safety measures in place and using the machine in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. You should also make sure that full protective clothing is worn at all times when operating heavy machinery or vehicles. 

Keep glass maintained 

Over time, it’s normal for glass to suffer wear and tear, like chips and scratches, but if ignored, these issues can soon become severe cracks. In a plant or agricultural environment, your machine’s glass is more important than ever, as it is often the barrier that protects the user from the dangerous machinery in operation. If a glass is to shatter when in use, it can be incredibly hazardous and can potentially cause harm to the user.

Don’t use damaged machines 

People may be tempted to continue using machines, even if they’re damaged, to keep operations running. However, this should never happen, as using machines that are already damaged can be dangerous and make them more likely to cause a severe accident. 

At The Windscreen Company, we have spent more than 25 years repairing and replacing glass on all kinds of plant and agricultural vehicles and machinery. From JCBs to CATs, it doesn’t matter what brand of machinery you operate; we have the expertise to get your machine up and running again. For more information on how we can help or to get a free quote, get in touch today. 

The Windscreen Company

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The Windscreen Company, has over 20 years of experience in windscreen repair and replacement. Since 1998, they have been at the forefront of industry innovation, leveraging the latest technology to ensure customer safety and satisfaction.

The Windscreen Company's, help-and-advice pages offer valuable tips and guidance on maintaining vehicle safety through quality windscreen care, while also featuring updated industry realted content.

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