Slips, Trips, Falls, and the Yard
The unglamorous injuries — a slip on spilled oil, a trip over a cord, a fall off a machine — are among the most common in a dealership, and the yard adds a category that kills: getting struck by equipment whose operator can’t see you.
Housekeeping is safety
Most slips and trips come from what’s on the floor: spilled fluids, hoses and cords, clutter, tools left out, poor lighting. Clean spills immediately, route cords, keep walkways clear, and light the work. Falls come from climbing on and off machines carelessly — use three points of contact, the steps and handholds, and don’t jump down from a cab or a deck.
The yard rule: eye contact or you don’t exist
Big machines have huge blind spots, and an operator backing a tractor or swinging a loader cannot see someone in them. The rule that keeps you alive: if you can’t see the operator’s eyes, they can’t see you. Never assume an operator knows you’re there; make eye contact, stay out of the path and the swing, and use a spotter for moving machines in the yard. Most yard struck-by incidents are someone in a blind spot the operator never knew was occupied.
Moving equipment in the yard
Walk-arounds before moving, spotters for tight or blind maneuvers, controlled speeds, and awareness of who else is in the yard. The yard feels routine, which is exactly why people stop treating multi-ton machines as the deadly moving hazards they are.
Where it goes wrong
- Leaving spills, cords, and clutter on the floor.
- Jumping off cabs and decks instead of three-point contact.
- Assuming an operator sees you instead of making eye contact.
- Moving equipment in a busy yard without a spotter.
Related
Shop and yard safety · Transporting equipment · PTO and rotating hazards · Building a safety program.