RR1158 - Application of a risk-based method to evaluate operator visibility from a large rigid frame dumper truck
In Great Britain there are 25 fatal injuries each year on average, and hundreds of non-fatal injuries to workers as a result of being struck by moving vehicles in the workplace. Restricted operator visibility is often identified as a contributing factor in these accidents.
HSE researchers developed a risk-based method to determine 'visibility risk zones' for earth-moving machinery such as dumper trucks and excavators. The field of view from larger dumper trucks is of particular concern following the death of two workers at a surface mine in 2011 in a collision between a large rigid frame dumper truck and a stationary vehicle located within its blind spot.
This report describes the application of a risk-based method to evaluate the operator's field of view from a large rigid frame dumper truck. The evaluation demonstrated that with visual aids fitted, including a rear view and right side camera, the masking areas ('blind spots') can be largely eliminated for this type and size of dumper truck. However, there may be residual risks of an operator not detecting a worker on foot. The work demonstrates the application of the risk-based method to determine visibility risk zones.
Two related reports describe the development of the risk-based visibility risk zones method (RR1156) and its application to an hydraulic excavator (RR1157).
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