Orchard Cart Operation Safe Operating Procedures | General information | Almond farms 0:04 Before you start This video provides general information for workers on almond farms. Before you start work, your host employer will explain the exact safe operating procedure, machine instructions and personal protective equipment required at your site. This video supports training. It does not replace practical training, assessment, supervisor sign-off or a training record. English is the authoritative version. 0:39 Step 1 Pre-start/safety meeting Potential risk. Employees not aware of traffic management requirements may lead to serious collision resulting in injury to operator and damage to equipment Poor communication when machinery is moved from block to block Employees with language barriers may not understand traffic management plans Employees taking short cuts through headlands may lead to collisions resulting in injury to employees and damage to equipment Risk treatment. Employees MUST attend morning pre-starts in front of the orchard activity board host employer management MUST communicate daily work plan and safety information which includes but not limited traffic management Team supervisors MUST reiterate daily work plan and safety matters their teams If there are language barriers an interpreter MUST be used to communicate information If traffic management changes throughout the day host employer management and supervisors are responsible for communicating changes to employees and updating the orchard activity board 1:56 Step 2 Complete pre start operational check list for tractor Potential risk. Workers injured due to equipment failure. Damage to equipment Risk treatment. Workers to wear Hi Viz clothing , safety glasses and all required PPE. Check and clear area of obstacles. If possible complete all checks from ground level. Ensure all windows are clean and visibility is unobstructed. Check operation of all machine controls including air conditioner and 2 way radio. Ensure the seating is in good condition and suitable for the task All faults MUST be reported to the Maintenance Controller immediately 2:42 Step 3 Training and Competency Potential risk. Damage to machinery Injury Incomplete job Risk treatment. Ensure staff have completed the relevant training for the equipment in use, host employer Cart, Tractor, and Towed/hitched implements. Staff should also be familiarised with the bank out equipment which complements the host employer Cart. Ensure staff have had time to practice and demonstrate use of equipment before using the host employer Cart. At the end of this training which includes the practical component if you are unsure of the process do not proceed contact your Supervisor and the Orchard Manager immediately If at any time during this process you feel unsafe you are authorised and expected to stop Contact your Supervisor and the Orchard Manager immediately 3:43 Step 4 Climb into tractor. Apply handbrake, depress clutch, put into neutral gear, start engine and allow minimum 5 minutes to warm up. Potential risk. Other workers impacted / crushed by moving tractor. Slips, trips and falls to workers Risk treatment. Use three points of contact when climbing into and out of tractor. Ensure tractor has handbrake firmly engaged. 4:14 Step 5 Check operation of all machine controls including air conditioner and 2way radio. Confirm channel and do radio check. Potential risk. Equipment failure Risk treatment. If an issue is identified that may affect the safe operation of the tractor then the tractor must be tagged out and Supervisor notified of issue. 4:39 Step 6 Set the seat according to operator requirements Potential risk. Uncomfortable ride Unable to operate safely Risk treatment. Adjust seat 4:58 Step 7 Attach host employer Cart to tractor and travel to work location Potential risk. Hand injury. Crush injury. Uncontrolled movement of implement. Risk treatment. Ensure pins are secure and locked in Travel with machine lifted off the ground slightly to ensure wheels are carrying the weight of the machine. Do not travel over 20km/hr with the Row Cart attached Always leave a gap of at least 25m between the next vehicle. Orchard management should ensure work area is clearly marked with cones/bollards and is communicated at the daily toolbox meeting. Orchard management should ensure the designated area is weed free and level. Always travel to the conditions, if dust is a factor operators should either slow to a safe speed or pull over in an area safe to do so, away from other equipment and wait for dust to clear. 6:06 Step 8 Fit seat belt, activate flashing light or turn on headlights as applicable and travel to work area. Ensure that no pedestrians are close to the tractor and cart. Ensure you are aware of current days traffic management arrangements. Adhere to rules set out in Traffic Management Plan Potential risk. Workers injured in traffic accidents. Workers speeding with tractor. Poor visibility of operator due to dust and tree canopy. Travelling with doors open can cause damage to doors and windows. Risk treatment. Instruct/indicate to all other workers of intention to move vehicle and to vacate the immediate area. Operator must wear use seat belt at all times and be aware of all other machinery or people in area. Operator to travel at sensible speed at all times. Ensure travel is via main tracks and headlands. Sound horn when crossing Headland. Announce yourself to known operators in the area. Mark own and check location of other operators on Operational Map in Hubb 7:23 Step 9 Commence working/operation. Potential risk. Other workers impacted / crushed because of poor visibility when operating tractor. Other workers impacted /crushed when towed machinery not correctly attached. Losing control over tractor due to new balance and handling characteristics Risk treatment. Ensure a traffic management plan is communicated to both host employer Cart operator and the bankout operators. Use cones to help indicate travel routes Designated work areas should have a speed limit of 15km/hr and look to reduce dust No staff are permitted to be in the work zone unless communicated and all work/traffic movement has stopped No vehicles are permitted at any time to drive on laid out product Tractor must move slowly forwards and stay as straight as possible. Leaving a gap wide enough for a pickup between each row. Bankouts must tip to fill the hopper, lower the tub and let the tractor drive forward, once the cart empties, the bankout should tip again into the hopper then drive away from the site. Bankouts should not try to tip while the cart is being emptied. Operator to use seat belt at all times. Doors and windows must be shut before the tractor is moved. Operator to consider all conditions e.g. inclines, weather and travel at a sensible speed at all times.. 9:06 Step 11 Banking out host employer Cart Potential risk. No communication by Bankout or Tractor operators. Collision between host employer Cart, Tractor and Bankout. Poor alignment of host employer Cart and Bankout Injury to operators. Damage to Bankout or host employer Cart due to over speed Risk treatment. Before bankout approaches host employer cart, tractor is to stop, engage park brake and communicate with bankout driver to ensure alignment.Tractor operator should receive a call from Bankout via UHF requesting they stop in preparation for banking out.( NOTE never bankout on the move)Bankout operators should communicate with the tractor driver, tip when asked and then follow instruction on moving forward to eventually leave to site.Only one bankout is to be tipping at any one time per row cart. All other machines to wait behind. Be aware of alignment at all times during the process and ensure Tractor and host employer cart operators are in constant communication. 10:23 Step 12 Removing sticks and debris blocking the host employer Cart. Potential risk. Hand injury Back injury Crush injury Risk treatment. If the host employer Cart blocks shut down the tractor before attempting to clear the blockage. Tractor operator to participate in clearing the blockage to prevent inadvertent movement of the machine. Tractor operator is only permitted to leave the cab after announcing, shutting off the tractor and taking the key with them. To clear blockages they must use a hook or rake and no body parts should be put near the machine crush zones (rear door/Lifting sections). (NOTE: Ensure the park brake is engaged and the tractor key is placed in the pocket of the person clearing blockages) Workers to wear required PPE including positive sealed eye protection and gloves when clearing sticks. Clearing to be attempted from either side of the host employer Cart, avoiding entering the base of the cart wherever possible. Bankout operators are not permitted to move whilst tractor operator is out of the cabin 11:43 Step 13 Clean up/end of shift Potential risk. Workers injured in traffic accidents. Workers injured due to equipment failure. Risk treatment. Machine including tractor must be cleaned thoroughly at the end of the shift ensure windows in particular are clean to ensure good visibility for the operator Re-fuel the machine Report any damage found to maintenance Park in designated parking zone 12:15 Qualifications and experience Qualifications and experience. All employees/ workers must be trained, hold relevant licenses, and be assessed as competent before operating any equipment on host employer sites. there must be safety induction records with the workers’ name on the records. where licenses are required a copy of this must be on site file or personal file. 12:43 Duties and responsibilities Duties and responsibilities. All employees/ workers must adhere to host employer policies and procedures and report any concerns and incidents immediately to their manager/ supervisor. it is the responsibility of both host employer onsite management and contractor companies to identify language barriers and provide interpreters where required. 13:13 Training required Training required. All employees/ workers must have been inducted to the site and deemed competent in relevant Safe Operating Procedure and site traffic management plans. site managers must sign off all Safe Operating Procedure before employees/ worker start work on site or equipment. training should be completed by a competent person or training organization. 13:42 Codes of practice and legislation Codes of practice and legislation. All employees/ workers must adhere to codes of practice, standards and guideline, whs and ohs acts and regulations. 13:58 Plant, equipment and PPE Plant, equipment and PPE. Job specific protective personal equipment (ppe) must be identified and worn when required (i.e. positive sealed goggles with a strap when using compressed air). PPE is a shared responsibility between your host employer and Orchard Tech. Your host employer will provide the PPE required for your task. If the required PPE has not been supplied, stop work and contact Orchard Tech. workers to wear all outdoor ppe where required – wear positive sealed eye protection, gloves, hat, sunburn cream, steel capped boots, long sleeve shirts and long trousers. hi viz clothing must be worn at all times. 14:55 Maintenance checks Maintenance checks. If a vehicle, plant, equipment, or machinery is found to be defective or damaged, it must be tagged with ‘out of service’ tag until repaired and isolation register completed. daily pre-start/ pre-shift checks and post-checks if required are to be completed and recorded in all instances. maintenance teams are responsible for all maintenance on equipment. workers can only undertake maintenance if they have been adequately trained in the relevant process. 15:34 Before work starts This video provides general information. Before you start work, your host employer will explain the exact procedure and provide practical training for your site. This video does not replace assessment, supervisor sign-off or a training record. If you do not understand something, use the English or talk to your supervisor at the host employer site. The host will provide you with an interpreter. Orchard Tech · hari@orchardtech.com.au · 0439 32 32 32