Page 50 - MRF Training TJ MRF Manual Version 5 22042024 final April 24_Neat

T J O P E R A T I V E S T R A I N I N G M A N U A L V E R S I O N 5

12 Blind Spot Awareness

All mobile plant and vehicles have blind spots around
them, machinery is often equipped with mirrors and
cameras to help eliminate this but often these have to be
set up for the individual operating the machine to ensure
that the best visibility around the machine is achieved.

Once this initial set up of mirrors has been achieved
operators will still have potential blind spots around their
machine and these can be identified by the use of a basic
tool, this is called the metre stick

It is exactly that a metre in length and visually bright and stands a person a metre away from any
machine

In any industry this blind spot test is called the metre rule

When an operator or driver changes machines or is new to a machine they should sit in the cab
seat as if they were about to operate the machine and look in all the mirrors around the machine.

They should be able to see the edges of the machine and also an outward view into the
surrounding area, once the mirrors have been adjusted to suit, a second employee will retrieve
the metre stick and with the operator still in position within the cab, walk around the machine
holding the metre stick horizontally touching various parts of the machine i:e the rear corners, front
off side mudguard, centre points, the operator of the machine should then “fine tune” his mirrors
further for better visibility

Blind spots will still be present!!

But after carrying out the metre stick procedure the operator will be aware that in those areas upon
which they are blind, they will physically have to turn around /bend, move their head to gain
visibility

This should become second nature as metre sticks are held at ALL of our sites

Page 49 of 181
Reviewed April 2024