Investigate Job Site Beforehand - Hitachi 120-3 class Operator's Manual

INVESTIGATE JOB SITE BEFOREHAND

• When working at the edge of an excavation or on a road
shoulder, the machine could tip over, possibly resulting in
serious injury or death.
• Investigate the configuration and ground conditions of
the job site beforehand to prevent the machine from fall-
ing and to prevent the ground, stockpiles, or banks from
collapsing.
• Make a work plan. Use machines appropriate to the work
and job site.
• Reinforce ground, edges, and road shoulders as necessary.
Keep the machine well back from the edges of excava-
tions and road shoulders.
• When working on an incline or on a road shoulder, em-
ploy a signal person as required.
• Confirm that your machine is equipped a FOPS cab before
working in areas where the possibility of falling stones or
debris exist.
• When the footing is weak, reinforce the ground before
starting work.
• When working on frozen ground, be extremely alert. As
ambient temperatures rise, footing becomes loose and
slippery.
• Beware the possibility of fire when operating the machine
near flammable objects such as dry grass.
• Make sure the worksite has sufficient strength to firmly sup-
port the machine.
When working close to an excavation or at road shoulders,
operate the machine with the tracks positioned perpendicu-
lar to the cliff face with travel motors at the rear, so that the
machine can more easily evacuate if the cliff face collapses.
• If working on the bottom of a cliff or a high bank is required,
be sure to investigate the area first and confirm that no
danger of the cliff or bank collapsing exists. If any possibility
of cliff or bank collapsing exists, do not work on the area.
• Soft ground may collapse when operating the machine on
it, possibly causing the machine to tip over. When working
on soft ground is required, be sure to reinforce the ground
first using large pieces of steel plates strong and firm
enough to easily support the machine.
• Note that there is always a possibility of machine tipping
over when working on rough terrain or on slopes. Prevent
machine tipping over from occurring. When operating on
rough terrain or on slopes:
• Reduce the engine speed.
• Select slow travel speed mode.
• Operate the machine slowly and be cautious with ma-
chine movements.
SAFETY
S-9
SA-380
M104-05-016