Mobile plant

Projects must be designed to accommodate the necessary equipment, with one-way routes where feasible, avoiding blind spots and overhead obstacles, and managing gradients and slopes to suit the equipment used.

Operators of mobile plant must be trained, experienced, and hold the relevant competence card for the specific machine and accessories they use, especially quick hitch attachments and any lifting accessory. They must fully understand and adhere to the operating procedures of their vehicles and all associated accessories.

Additionally, they must be familiar with site emergency procedures and the signal systems used on site.

Equipment must always be operated according to the manufacturer’s instructions, considering weather, ground conditions, maximum loads and gradients.

All telehandler operators, regardless of their employment status, must be briefed into the Lovell ‘Use of telehandler’ risk assessment and possess a valid, full driving license in addition to their training qualification/card.

Operators of other types of mobile plant are not required to hold a valid, full driving license in addition to their training qualification/card unless the equipment is intended to be driven on public highways, or roads and pavements shared with homeowners, occupiers or the general public on our projects. Evaluation of the potential of this interface is to be based on robust risk assessment by the relevant employer.

All telehandlers, irrespective of the provider, must comply with Lovell specifications.

Bucket attachments (general purpose or material handling) and non-integrated working platform attachments are not permitted on telehandlers.

Integrated working platform attachments may only be used as a last resort when no other suitable equipment is reasonably practicable and must undergo thorough risk assessment.

All other attachments must be compatible with the machine.

Operators must be aware of the effect on centre of gravity and SWL attachments may impose.

Operators must physically ensure all quick hitches (mechanical or hydraulic) are securely locked before starting work with a new attachment.

Bucket fitting/removal must be carried out in designated, contained areas ensuring all other personnel are excluded. Unused buckets must be stored in these areas.

Lifting and travelling with suspended loads on telehandlers must be avoided using other more suitable equipment. Where unavoidable, it must be ensured the task is properly planned and risk assessed, the telehandler is suitable for the task, and a suitable lifting hook or attachment is used. Operators must be trained and competent to undertake a suspended load task.

Ensure all mobile plant driven on a public highway complies with relevant road traffic legislation.

All mobile plant operators must be at least eighteen years of age.

If employees are carried on the mobile plant, the machine must be suitable for that purpose.

Seat belts must always be worn when mobile plant is in use, a green beacon must be used to confirm seat belt use.

Engines must be turned off and keys removed from the ignition when leaving unattended. Seat belts must be left unfastened.

Proper procedures must be followed for mounting and dismounting the machine, using fixed access and maintaining three points of contact.

Loading operations for dumpers, including cabbed dumpers, must not commence until the operator has applied the handbrake, turned off the engine, and exited the vehicle.

The operator must move to the safe zone where they are clearly visible to the loading operator until loading is complete.

Forward tipping dumpers are not permitted on non-engineered stockpiles.

Work must be stopped if unauthorised personnel enter exclusion zones, and all unsafe conditions, defects, and behaviours must be reported to a supervisor.

Breaking ground must not commence until briefed into and fully understood a permit to break ground.
Operators on public highways must hold a valid license with the appropriate category.

Full site-defined PPE is required when leaving the machine, with non-loose-fitting PPE to prevent catching on controls, and additional PPE worn as determined by task-specific risk assessments.

All plant and equipment must comply with current UK legislation and adhere to the European Commission (EC) Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC or have United Kingdom Conformity Assessed (UKCA) certification as appropriate. A declaration of conformity must be supplied.