Liga Asuransi – Awesome congregation of readers, how are you? Again, we discuss risk and insurance in the heavy equipment sector. There are still many things that we need to discuss so that the level of risk in the heavy equipment industry can be reduced or at least controlled.
In line with global climate change, which is now increasingly causing natural disasters, such as floods, landslides, forest fires and natural disasters. All of these natural disasters have a lot to do with heavy equipment risks.
Heavy equipment as the name suggests always works in places full of risk, mining work, construction of infrastructure projects such as road construction, bridges, ports, dams which are almost all related to nature.
As expert insurance brokers and insurance consultants who have been involved in heavy equipment risks for more than 30 years, we would like to share some information regarding risk management and insurance needed by heavy equipment.
As we know, investing in heavy equipment is a large investment, for 1 unit of heavy equipment the minimum price is IDR. 1 billion while the highest price can reach Rp. 100 billion/unit. If an accident occurs, such a large investment could be lost in an instant.
We hope this article can be useful for you. If you are interested in this article, please share it with your colleagues so that they also understand like you.
If you are someone who works in the mining sector then you may have heard about accidents that occur in mines, on construction projects and other projects. Maybe in your own project or in your colleagues’ projects.
Maybe you are wondering what caused the accident to occur. Even though you know that every company has implemented work management and risk management well. Likewise, the operators and officers in the field have all been trained to operate heavy equipment properly.
Who was at fault? What caused the accident? Can accidents like that be avoided so that the project can run as expected and provide profits for the company? These are a series of questions that may be weighing on your mind.
Construction workers include infrastructure construction work, building homes, office buildings, stores, and other parts of the infrastructure that make up our modern world. Construction workers work with all kinds of heavy equipment during their workday. When construction equipment malfunctions perhaps because of deferred maintenance, or because of a manufacturing or design defect, or if a worker is injured using unattended equipment, it can lead to horrific injuries and even death on the job. The following are some examples of heavy equipment that can cause construction accidents:
- Backhoe
- Bulldozer
- Compactor
- Derek
- Dump Truck
- Forklift
- Excavator
- Paving machine
- Power shovel
- Road grader dan roller
- Scraper
- Others
Common Causes of Accidents
Accidents caused by the operation of heavy construction equipment resulting in injuries and deaths occur when operators are negligent, and when equipment is damaged or malfunctions. Sometimes crane accidents can occur due to lack of training on the part of the crane operator.
Some other causes of heavy equipment accidents include:
- Misunderstood signals between workers
- Default operator
- Improper use of the crane
- Improper boom angle
- Improper assembly of crane equipment
- The crane collided with a power line
How Do Heavy Equipment Accidents Happen?
When large heavy equipment is located on a busy site with workers including those on foot, the potential for accident tragedy looms large – especially if the contractor or site supervisor does not have an effective safety program.
The results of a study from the Journal of Safety Research found that many deaths due to heavy equipment accidents were experienced by equipment operators or other construction workers on site. The rest are experienced by visitors, commuters or pedestrians who were near the equipment when the error occurred.
Here are some examples of how construction equipment can cause injuries:
- Backhoe and Truck Accidents
Accidents involving backhoes and large trucks accounted for half of all deaths in construction accidents involving heavy equipment recorded in a study published by the Journal of Safety Research. This includes motor vehicle accidents in which a construction truck collides with another vehicle or object, rolls over, or leaves the road.
- Rollover Accident
Rollovers are the most common type of heavy equipment accident, according to the Journal of Safety Research. Rollovers can occur when equipment is operating on uneven ground, when the load is too heavy or lifted too far from the vehicle’s center of gravity, or when the machine hits or is hit by another piece of heavy equipment or a vehicle such as a truck.
- Hit by Heavy Equipment
The most common cause of death for workers other than equipment operators is an accident in which a worker is hit by heavy equipment. Most often, these accidents occur when a backhoe, truck, forklift, or other heavy equipment is in reverse. Special attention should be paid to both observing the environment and warning people in the area to stay away. Equipment must also be maintained in good working condition so that it responds properly when the operator tries to stop or redirect it.
- Defective/Damaged Heavy Equipment
Hidden defects or overlooked maintenance problems on heavy equipment can spell disaster for the operator and anyone in the immediate area. In many cases, operators and co-workers may not even realize that a defect exists until it has caused a serious accident.
- Electricity
Many workers working on or near heavy equipment forget to consider the risk of electric shock if the equipment is operating near live power lines. If any part of the equipment encounters a power line or other electrical source, the entire machine can conduct that electricity directly to the body of anyone who touches the machine, including the operator.
- Fallen
Objects falling from heavy equipment and operators falling as they try to enter or exit the machine also pose significant risks. Because machines can lift large loads high off the ground, and because controls can be located several feet from the surface, accidents in which the load falls or the operator falls trying to reach the controls can cause serious injury.
- Common Injuries in Heavy Equipment Accidents
The most common injury suffered by workers in heavy equipment accidents is due to entrapment. These include “crushing injuries” to bones and soft tissue, fractures, and damage to the brain or spinal cord. In some cases, an accident may amputate one or more of a worker’s limbs, or the injury to a limb may be so severe that amputation is necessary to save the person’s life.
Electric shock injuries and burns also occur in some heavy equipment accidents. If the vehicle experiences an electrical malfunction or encounters a live power source, serious electrical injury may occur. Unlike a one-time electrical “shock,” an electric shock can cause severe damage to any part of the body, including the brain and heart. It can also cause severe burns, which may be difficult and painful to treat. Surgery, extended time in the burn unit, and permanent pain and scarring are common.
Workers who fall while working on or near heavy equipment may also be at risk of traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury, along with one or more broken bones. The effects of a brain injury or spinal cord injury may be permanent or even fatal.
Even though supervision of construction and mining work operations continues to be improved with the implementation of the Health and Safety Environment (HSE), accidents still occur frequently because the risk level is high.
One way to overcome the impact of accidents on construction and mining projects is to have a special insurance program in the construction and mining sector. The following types of insurance are needed:
- Construction/Erection All Risks (CAR/EAR)
Insurance to protect against damage and loss of construction materials from various risks
- Third Party Liability (TPL)
Legal responsibility for claims from third parties who experience property damage, injury and death as a result of errors and negligence
- Heavy Equipment Insurance and Construction Plant and Equipment Insurance – Insurance covers damage and loss to heavy equipment used due to accidents
- Workmen’s Compensation Assurance (WCA) protects workers against work-related accidents and deaths. In Indonesia, this guarantee can be obtained by taking out the BPJS TK insurance program
- Marine Cargo Insurance – Insurance for shipping goods from anywhere to the project location or from the project location to other places.
- Insurance for office buildings, workshops and other facilities.
How do I get insurance for heavy equipment?
Because the risks are serious, not many insurance companies are interested in providing guarantees for heavy equipment. The best way is to use the company’s services insurance broker who is experienced in the field of heavy equipment insurance. One insurance broker company that has insured thousands of heavy equipment and resolved hundreds of claims well is L&G Insurance Broker.
For shipping insurance on your goods, contact L&G now!
—
LOOKING FOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT INSURANCE PRODUCTS? DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME AND CONTACT US NOW
24 JAM L&G HOTLINE: 0811-8507-773 (CALL – WHATSAPP – SMS)
website: lngrisk.co.id
Email: customer.support@lngrisk.co.id
—
