CDDA Safety Alert: Heavy Equipment Inspection Guide: Cracks, Loose Bolts, Drop-Zone and Swing-Zone Risks

Heavy Equipment Inspection Guide: Cracks, Loose Bolts, Drop-Zone and Swing-Zone Risks

The CDDA would like to stress the importance of Heavy Equipment inspections. Heavy equipment inspections are an important part of protecting workers on exploration drilling sites. A damaged attachment, missing fastener, or a worker standing within a hoist’s drop-zone or a rod-handler’s swing zone can create serious hazards.

Before equipment starts moving, crews need to check both the condition of the machine and the area around it.

A thorough drill rig walkaround is recommended before every shift, following the equipment’s Operation and Maintenance Manual. Inspections should include structural welds & pivot pins, rotation guarding, bolted attachments, lifting devices, hoses & whip checks, hoist & wireline cables, cable terminations, and other components that may show damage or excessive wear.

Look closely for cracks and structural damage

Cracks, deformation, and damaged components should be reported for assessment before equipment is used. For cranes and hoisting equipment, the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) also identifies cracked, deformed or corroded structural members as inspection concerns.

During the walkaround, pay particular attention to:

Structural frames, masts, and pivot pins and evidence of cracks and wear.
Handling arms, booms, and linkages and evidence of damage and wear.
Pressurized hoses and whip-checks and evidence of wear and leaks.
Rotation guards and protective structures and evidence of damage or insecure mounting.

Check loose bolts, missing fasteners and attachment security

Loose or missing fasteners need immediate corrective action.
When bolted attachments are overhead, check for secondary safety cables, lock-wire, & wedge-lock washers and inspect for tightness, cracks, damage and wear.

Check accessible fasteners and connections identified in the manufacturer’s checklist. Report anything missing, damaged or suspected loose, including attachment connections and retaining components. Have repairs completed by authorized personnel according to OEM specifications, i.e., tightening a bolt alone should not be treated as confirmation that a damaged connection is safe.

Protect the Zone

A mechanically sound machine can still seriously injure someone standing within its operating area. An automated structure or moving attachment can strike a worker or trap them against a rotating part, a structure, or another part of the machine.

A recent WorkSafeBC investigation illustrates this risk. During maintenance on an excavator attachment, a worker inadvertently contacted a control lever while the machine was running. The excavator swung, and another worker was struck by the attachment and pinned against a service truck. The investigation identified failures to shut down and lock out the equipment, along with the placement of the worker and service truck within the swing radius.

For drilling crews, the practical lesson is to plan separation before work begins:

Identify the full movement area of the machine, and attachments.
Establish effective barriers or other site-approved controls to prevent entry.
Position vehicles, supplies and pedestrian routes outside the hazard area.
Agree on communication and safe approach procedures before equipment operates.

The CDDA has provided some resources below to provide guidance on how to make inspections and maintenance safe on site; always ensure to report defects and follow through. An inspection is only effective when findings lead to action. We would like to thank our members for continuing to uphold our mission of promoting and upholding safety and standards in the industry. We thank our Safety Committee for assisting us with developing this safety alert. Join us for the Next CDDA Virtual Safety Meeting October 14, 2026

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