HSE issues safety alert on use of quick hitches

Following four fatalities in a year, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a safety alert about quick hitches fitted to excavators.

The fatalities involved semi-automatic quick hitches where the retaining pin or bar was missing (although other incidents have involved both manual and automatic types).

The HSE's advice is to check and set up the following:

• Has the excavator operator been trained on the use of quick hitches?
• Has the operator been trained on the specific hitch being used?
• Is the manufacturer-specified retaining pin available on the machine?
• Has the pin been designed for this specific use?
• Is there a system for checking the pin is in place before starting the work and each time a new attachment is fitted?
• Operators must not to use the machine unless they are satisfied the bucket/attachment is secured in place - which could entail a visual check from the ground, rather than the cab and
• Managers must undertake random checks to ensure the precautions are being implemented.

Further advice includes:

• Attaching easily lost pins or clips to the quick hitch
• Painting the end of the pin (to make it more visible) and the area around safety pin insertion holes to make it clear where the pin should be inserted
• Duty holders wanting to modify pins so they cannot be fully removed from the hitch should first check with the manufacturer
• Forbidding the ad-hoc replacements of pins with large bolts, wire or other substitutes and
• Ensuring that others do not work below the bucket/attachment.

Earlier in the year, the HSE issued advice to its inspectors to check whether safety pins are being used and to consider prosecution if two or more safety pins are missing on a single site.