 Whenever a lot of material is being used on a paving project, it usually has to be processed at a central preparation plant not far from the site. Such a plant might be for mixing concrete, for making asphalt, or for crushing the torn-up old road to use in a new mix. Whether the site is portable or permanent, they all have the same kinds of hazards. Hazards around and within the plant site, and hazards around the delivery of product to the construction site. The most important and obvious hazard around construction sites is the traffic. You've got raw materials coming into the plant for processing. You've got a steady stream of processed product coming out of the plant, and another stream of return trips to pick up more product. This would be okay if you had the road all to yourself, but you don't. You've also got a traveling public that's in a hurry that doesn't want you to get in its way. Commercial rigs, people late for work, vacationers, and yes, even other contractors who don't have anything to do with your operation. When all this traffic comes together, it only increases the chances of an accident. The plant site is a noisy, busy, dirty place just looking for an accident. So how can you be safe in a place like this? You've got to realize you can never be totally safe, even when every safety measures in place. But what'll help you even more is you being alert and knowing where you are at all times. The biggest hazard around a plant site is the equipment. These aren't like the toy trucks in your kids' sandbox. This equipment is big. It's heavy. And in an accident, it's unforgiving. Trucks play a critical role in this kind of operation, and the truck driver has an awesome responsibility. Often your visibility is limited, especially for things on the road that are smaller than you, like people. And if you're not alert at all times, an accident's gonna happen before you know it, and it'll probably kill somebody. And if you're on foot, you better know where you are at all times, then figure that those trucks don't see you and get out of their way. Staying alert means, too, that your head's screwed on straight. For instance, when vehicles are backing up, a warning bell sounds, because the driver can see even less when backing up. It's a sound you hear all the time. It stands out from all the other noises around you, and for good reason. Most fatal accidents happen when either the operator, a pedestrian, or both turns off that sound in their brain and doesn't pay attention to what it's saying. I can't see anybody behind me. This is a dangerous situation. Even an end-loader can kill you. The larger the piece of equipment, the less you can see. You can't see all around you or on the other side of the mixing bin. You're dealing with tons of material. And if a small amount of sand spills from the jaws on its way around, it's no big deal to the mix. But it can really hurt someone on the ground who gets hit by it. As a crane operator, you, too, can get hurt, even killed. If your boom hits a power line, you're gonna be electrocuted. Asphalt operations are like any other plant site, with traffic and big equipment. But they have their special dangers, too. For instance, asphalt is hot, up to 330 degrees Fahrenheit out of the hopper. Do you think you'd care to be outside your truck while you're loading up? While covering your box filled with hot asphalt, if you don't have at least three contact points with the truck at all times, you're gonna slip. Once again, asphalt is hot. The skin of this dryer can reach up to 2,000 degrees near the flame head. And how do you think you'd feel if your shirt tail and you got caught in this gear? Let me tell you, pinch points are no fun. Crushing operations are like any other plant site. Only here, you've got more noise, more dust, and fast-moving machinery carrying tons of rock. Do you think a hard hattle protect you from a half-ton chunk of concrete? Wake up! You gotta take the attitude that even when safety measures are in place, even when you're wearing your safety gear, it's still a dangerous place out there. And if these safety measures aren't in place, then you're really asking for trouble. Here's a safety measure that's easily overlooked. It's called Good Housekeeping. Materials and chemicals should be clearly identified and stored in their own areas, out of the way of heavy traffic. This also includes where you park your own vehicle. Keep it away from where heavy traffic's gonna be. It'll only get in the way when you wanna get out. Park in designated areas only. The same goes for flammable materials. They should be stored not only away from traffic, but also away from other combustible materials and further protected by concrete barrier walls. Just because you're not in the middle of things doesn't mean you can't be hurt. Wear your protective gear all the time and be sure your vehicle's safety gear is working like it should. Even during slow times like waiting for the next load, you can check your safety gear. Maximum visibility is the key. If you can't see what the other guy's doing, or the other guy can't see what you're doing, you both have two strikes against you. This is real important when you get out on the road and start mixing in with other traffic that's going a lot faster than you are and that's a lot smaller too. So look twice before you turn into that traffic. At least twice. There's always the pressures of delivering your product on time to the construction site, but not at the expense of not getting there at all. Be patient. Be careful. You'll get there. You're always going to have visibility problems, but on the construction site you've got people and equipment who could care less about what you're doing. They're into their own jobs and you're in their territory. You don't have much room to make a mistake if you're not on your toes. Going back to the plant after a successful delivery, you still can't let up on being alert. You're still passing through everybody else's work zone and your work zone gets right into the public zone. So you've got to know where you are at all times and be alert to the special dangers in each area. If you've got your safety head on straight and every safety measure is working for you, you just might survive one of the most dangerous occupations in industry.