The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) is reminding users of excavators, including the mini excavators often used in landscaping, to apply the safety control leaver / isolation device when appropriate.

When other people enter the operational arc of an excavator, the regulator says, the safety control leaver, isolation device, or other means should be used to deactivate the machine while at rest or ticking over. The machine operator should also let others know when it is safe to enter the operational arc.

HSE also says duty holders must, so far as reasonably practicable, ensure the safety of persons within the operational arc of excavators by undertaking the proper planning, management, and monitoring of work activities.

This effort should include:

• Monitoring the application of, and correct use of, the safety control device
• Putting a suitable and sufficient risk assessment in place for work activities where excavators are used as lifting appliances.
• Ensuring machine operators, slingers and others are competent for the task, providing appropriate training and assessment.

This safety notice follows an incident where an operator leaned out of his cab to talk to a colleague and inadvertently moved the left-hand joystick, causing the excavator to slew and fatally crush the other worker.

The full notice as well as links to relevant guidance and legal documents can be found on the HSE website.