I hate working on building sites

[Rich2484]

You start off by saying "all my training is telling me this guy should be off site". Then you go on to say i've had a bucket come off on me before

 

Maybe you need better training.

 

My bucket broke off after I was digging out an old gun implacement, it had sheard the quick hitch pin but I didn't notice until I went to change the bucket to the grading bucket to fin the job.

 

Just as I started to roll the arm it fell about 10 feet upside down and dug into soft soil.

The point about his bucket falling off I tried to avoid as you didn't specify if it broke or naglagance on his part.

[egnsean]

when i was driving plant you had to fill in a blue book everyday with defects and sign it, if in your opinion the machine wasn't safe to operate you refused to drive it! in addition any machine that could be used as a crane ie digger had to have the SWL displayed on the boom and had to be inspected by an independent engineer every 12 monthes and this was over 10 yrs ago!

[Rich2484]

Still applies. I've got a filing cabinet full of inspections both daily and weekly ones. Have to keep them for three years before they can go in the bin. Not sure if it's just the owners that have to keep them but I do just to cover my own back.

Although I have not seen a blue book but I fill in my own.

 

Plus it all goes towards keeping my ticket as its a progressive one.

[egnsean]

the blue book was from her majesty's stationary office and was mandatory enforced by the HSE, if you got a site visit and it wasn't upto date you and your employer were in trouble, also if they found a dangerous defect they issued a prohibition order on the machine and it couldn't be used again until it was rectified and reinspected, iv had one or two early finishes due to this LoL. sean

[Goaty]

I know exactly what you mean Eggsy...i saw a guy fall through a concrete floor yesterday and after he brushed himself off he continued to lift the lid off a mini digger engine cover and put his hand in.....next thing you know he,s stuck his finger into the fan and it,s chopped his finger:confused1: he was taken off site to A&E.....He was the Forman! where do they get these people?? It,s another world......

 

Usually mates from pub, case of who you know!

[david]

HSE has banned the production of semi-automatic quick hitches now (the ones with the saftey pin) and i think new quick hitches (manual and automatic) need to lock the top and bottem pins

 

i found this out after driving 2 hours to site and ended up sitting for 7 hours waiting for a second machine to turn up to do an hours work

[Rich2484]

I can't see how people don't put them on properly. First of you have to push two separate buttons the second you have to hold in for five seconds until it beeps, then it's full revs and knuckle back to release then knuckle forward to attach.

 

Well it is on jcb anyway.

[jonmackeen]

I can't see how people don't put them on properly. First of you have to push two separate buttons the second you have to hold in for five seconds until it beeps, then it's full revs and knuckle back to release then knuckle forward to attach.

 

Well it is on jcb anyway.

 

All well and good on new machines but some of the older machines have manual QH either spring loaded or tightened using a 1/2 drive socket wrench, but all have pins that have to be fitted after. I used to be a Transport manager for a building firm and all safety pins were marked with florescent paint and if it wasn't fitted the driver got a yellow card for the first infringement then if he got a second yellow card they were off site end of!!

 

The HSE has guidance on their site

Construction - Quick hitches industry health & safety

[Billy]

That's awful trouble with these fat lazy won't leave the cab style of machine drivers, quite common for these jump ties to not worry about the safety pin on a quick hitch, it's so prevalent the manufacturers should all use the hydraulic remote system like the CATs have so much better hydraulic jaw locks the bucket it in and can be opened or closed at the flick of a switch in the cab.

[sandy2210]

the older type hitches with a safety pin are now banned from all the sites we work on nowadays. any subbies turning up with one dont even get to unload . I know that the new types are failsafe but there was something reasureing about seeing a pin holding the bucket on