13: Motor Vehicles and Mechanized Equipment
“Prepare and prevent, don’t repair and repent.” – Author Unknown
Overview
Safety requirements for motor vehicles in general are prescribed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and referenced by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The mission of the NHTSA is to "Save lives, prevent injuries, reduce vehicle-related crashes", and is a unit under the Department of Transportation (DOT). This chapter recognizes the overlap in federal jurisdiction as it relates to ‘work’ performed on US Highways and specifically as it relates to specialized vehicles performing construction activities. The primary objective of the standards associated with motor vehicles is to ensure vehicle safety when in operation but also when not.
Safety standards associated with traffic control specifically relating to construction on our highway system but also applicable to controls of vehicle traffic on construction sites are outlined in the standard Signs, Signals, and Barricades. These standards are based on those from the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) for streets and highways.
Chapter Objective:
- Determine the safety requirements for motor vehicles and mechanized equipment on construction sites.
- Review the general safety requirements for earthmoving and excavation equipment.
- Identify the acceptable sign and barricade construction requirements listed in Subpart G.
Learning Outcome:
- Describe the safety requirements of equipment covered under Subpart O.
- Apply the hierarchy controls to the requirements of Subpart G.
Standards: 1926 Subpart O-Motor Vehicles, Mechanized Equipment, Marine Operations, Subpart G Signs, Signals, Barricades
Key Terms:
Operable, bulldozer, cribbed, dump body, end loader, flagmen
Mini-Lecture: Signs, Signals, Barricades
Topic Required Time: 1 hrs; Independent Study and reflection 3/4 hour.
Thumbnail: Buldozers, Attribution MemoryCatcher, Pixabay