The Overlooked Dangers of Working Around Moving Trucks and Heavy Equipment
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
Construction sites, road projects, and industrial workplaces rely heavily on trucks and heavy equipment to move materials and complete essential tasks. While these machines are critical for productivity, they also introduce some of the most serious hazards workers face every day.
Workers operating around vehicles, trucks, and heavy equipment are at risk of struck-by, impact, and caught-between incidents. These types of accidents can occur suddenly and often leave little time for workers to react.
Understanding these risks and knowing how to control them is essential for preventing serious injuries and fatalities. Surprisingly, many workers go untrained because employers themselves overlook the potential hazards.
Why Struck-By Incidents Occur
Struck-by incidents occur when a worker is hit by moving vehicles, trucks, and equipment. These incidents often involve:
Dump trucks
Garbage trucks
Loaders and excavators
Cranes and forklifts
Utility or service vehicles
Large and small vehicles and equipment can have both wide and narrow blind spots that limit an operator’s ability to see workers positioned nearby. Even when mirrors or camera systems are used, visibility may still be restricted. In some cases, blind spots may extend directly in front of the equipment, creating areas where ground personnel may believe they are visible when they are not.
Backing operations present an especially high risk. When a truck or piece of equipment begins to reverse, workers standing in the wrong location can quickly enter the operator’s blind spot, significantly increasing the potential for a struck-by incident.
Compact equipment on job sites, such as skid steers, can be particularly hazardous. Despite their smaller size, skid steers are extremely fast and highly maneuverable. Ground personnel are no match for their speed and movement. When this speed is combined with the equipment’s blind spots, skid steers can pose a serious hazard to nearby workers. The same is true for forklifts and other types of equipment.
These incidents frequently result in:
Serious injuries
Fatalities
Property damage
Project delays
Emotional trauma for coworkers and families
A Real-World Reminder of the Risk
In 2025, a worker at a local shopping plaza tragically lost his life after being backed over by a transport truck.
It is believed the driver could not see the worker behind the vehicle, and there was no spotter assisting with the maneuver. Incidents like this often involve several contributing factors, including limited space, visibility, inadequate communication, or a lack of hazard awareness.
Regardless of the root causes, the outcome was devastating: a worker did not return home at the end of the day.
Events like this highlight the importance of training and awareness when working around moving vehicles and heavy equipment.
The Critical Role of a Spotter
One of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of struck-by incidents is to use a trained, competent spotter.
A spotter serves as the operator’s eyes on the ground. Their role is to guide equipment safely and ensure workers remain clear of danger zones.
A competent spotter helps by:
Monitoring blind spots around equipment
Communicating clearly with drivers and operators
Controlling worker movement near equipment
Identifying hazards before movement begins
Preventing backing incidents
When properly trained, spotters play a critical role in keeping job sites safe.
Why Training Matters
Organizations such as OSHA and the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety recognize training as an administrative control that helps prevent workplace incidents.
Effective training helps workers:
Understand hazards associated with moving vehicles and equipment
Recognize blind spots and danger zones
Communicate effectively with operators
Apply safe work practices in real-world conditions
Safety regulations also require employers to train workers about the health and safety aspects of their job. Providing this knowledge helps workers make safer decisions and avoid unnecessary risks.
Learn How to Become a Competent Spotter
Our Online Spotter Training Course teaches workers the strategies and best practices needed to guide vehicles, trucks, and heavy equipment safely.
The course focuses on preventing back-up incidents and increasing awareness of struck-by hazards that commonly occur on construction and industrial job sites.
Workers who complete the training will learn how to:
✔ Recognize equipment blind spots
✔ Communicate safely with operators
✔ Prevent backing incidents
✔ Identify hidden struck-by hazards
✔ Protect themselves and their coworkers
Enroll in the Course for Spotting Vehicles, Trucks, and Equipment
This course is designed to help workers build practical awareness that can prevent serious injuries and fatalities.