Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

stabbing or puncture hazard
through ejection of 
particles from a machine or a sharp operating com-
ponent like a needle on a sewing machine
➤
contact with a 
friction or abrasion hazard
, for 
example, on grinding wheels or sanding machines
➤
high pressure fl uid injection (ejection hazard)
, for 
example, from a hydraulic system leak.
Figure 11.10
Continued.
Chains and sprockets
Belt conveyor
Abrasive wheels
Shaft with projections
Drawing-in Hazards
Abrasion and
Ejection Hazard
Entanglement Hazard
Meshing gears
Counter-rotating rolls
Rack and pinion gears
Pulley belts

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Work equipment hazards and control
169
In practice, injury may involve several of these at once, 
for example, contact, followed by entanglement of cloth-
ing, followed by trapping.
11.10 
Mobile work equipment
11.10.1 Hazards of mobile equipment
Injuries from mobile equipment are predominantly 
related to:
➤
Poor maintenance with defective brakes, tyres and 
steering
➤
Poor visibility because of dirty mirrors and windows 
or loads which obstruct the drivers’ view
➤
Operating on rough ground or steep gradients which 
causes the mobile equipment to turn on its side 90º 
plus or roll over 180º or more
➤
Carrying of passengers without the proper accom-
modation for them
➤
People being fl ung out as they overturn and being 
crushed by the vehicle
➤
Being crushed under wheels as the vehicle moves
➤
Being struck by a vehicle or an attachment
➤
Lack of driver training or experience
➤
Underlying causes of poor management procedures 
and controls, safe working practices, information, 
instruction, training and supervision.
The machines most at risk of roll over according to 
the HSE are:
➤
compact 
dumpers
➤
agricultural 
tractors
➤
variable reach rough terrain trucks (telehandlers).
The main purpose of the mobile work equipment 
PUWER 1998 Part III, Regulations 25 to 30 is to require 
additional precautions relating to work equipment while it 
is travelling from one location to another or where it does 
work while moving. All appropriate sections of PUWER 
98 will also apply to mobile equipment as it does to all 
work equipment, for example dangerous moving parts of 
the engine would be covered by Part II Regulations 10, 
11 and 12 of PUWER 98. If the equipment is designed 
primarily for travel on public roads the Road Vehicles 
(Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 will normally 
be suffi cient to comply with PUWER 98.
Mobile equipment would normally move on, wheels, 
tracks, rollers, skids, etc. Mobile equipment may be self-
propelled, towed or remote controlled and may incorpor-
ate attachments. Pedestrian controlled work equipment, 
such as lawn mowers, are not covered by Part III.