Dozer Safety

Standard safety precautions that apply to dozer operations are as follows: l Only operate the dozer at speeds at which control of the dozer can be maintained at all times.

Figure 11-38.-Push dozer.

. Navy safety regulations require that all dozers be equipped with roll-over protective strictures (ROPS), crankcase guards, and radiator protectors. All dozers purchased by the Navy are equipped with these devices. Dozers must never be used without these devices in place.

. Always wear a seat belt when dozing. A sudden jolt from working on uneven terrain can possibly throw you off the machine or against the control levers, causing serious injury or death.

. Obtain a digging permit before performing excavation operations with a dozer.

. When using a dozer for demolition, take care to prevent falling objects from striking the operator or other personnel.

. When felling trees with a dozer, take care to avoid being struck by falling branches or by the backlash of a branch or trunk.

. A dozer should never be used for clearing trees without being equipped with an operator's protective cage (brush cage).

. Personnel must never ride the dozer drawbar. his dangerous practice has been the cause of numerous accidents.

c Operators of dozers and rippers should make every effort to learn the locations of any underground high-voltage electric lines or gas lines that might be contacted by their equipment. c Operate the dozer from the sitting position, never from a standing position.

l A dozer must be operated with extreme care when near the edge of a cut; the edge may give way, overturning the machine.

. A steep incline should be climbed slowly. "Gunning" up a steep slope has often caused dozers to overturn.

l Do not attempt a turn on a steep slope. Sliding sideways may not appear to be dangerous, but it can easily become so if the low side of the dozer hits a solid rock or a stump.

. Coupling trailing equipment to a dozer is hazardous; be especially alert while this is being done.

^{Whenever possible,} equipment should be coupled with the dozer stopped and the clutch, if so equipped, disengaged. Additionally, set the brake, and lower the blade.

. When towing a heavy load downgrade, keep the dozer in low gear. Coasting is dangerous. A coasting dozer with a towed load is likely to jackknife.

. Before dismounting a dozer and at the end of a workday, secure the dozer blade by lowering it to the ground. Lowering the blade prevents the dozer from rolling; more importantly, it eliminates the possibility of the blade falling on someone. Whenever it is necessary to work on the dozer with the blade up, especially when changing cutting edges, the blade must be securely blocked to prevent it from falling accidentally.

l Wear required personal protective equipment, such as steel toe safety shoes and hard hats.

ROLLERS

Any time soil is disturbed, it becomes expanded and very loosely packed. During the construction of a fill or subgrade, this loose soil must be compacted into a solid mass. The process of compressing The loose soil into a solid mass is called compaction. If the soil is not properly compacted during construction, it will settle causing roads, building foundations, or runways to collapse.

Soil may be compacted naturally (settled) by weather and time. If the soil is porous, settlement may be speeded by soaking it and allowing it to dry. This process is slow and cannot be depended upon to produce the high densities required by project specification. Another method of compaction is through chemical stabilization that involves the application of one or more chemicals to a soil to achieve a desired change in its characteristics. Mechanical compaction is normally required to supplement chemical stabilization. To accomplish mechanical compaction, you can use various compaction techniques and types of compaction equipment, such as vibratory rollers, pneumatic-tired rollers, and steel-wheeled rollers.