The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a safety notice warning of the risks posed when excavator operators fail to correctly use safety control levers or isolation devices. These devices are designed to prevent unintended machine movement, but if they are not engaged, even minor accidental contact with the controls can cause dangerous motion of the excavator or its load. HSE highlights a fatal incident where a worker was crushed after the operator inadvertently moved the joystick while the isolation was not applied.
Duty holders are required to ensure that operators always use the control lever or isolation device properly, that its function is reliable, and that its use is actively monitored. Clear communication must be established before anyone approaches an excavator, and risk assessments must be carried out for activities where excavators are used, particularly as lifting appliances. Excavators with faulty or ineffective isolation devices must not be used until the issues are rectified.
Source: HSE.