Spotters – Staying Ahead of Hazards

Jobsites are crowded with moving equipment, blind spots, and constantly changing conditions. Combine that with working in tight spaces, and the spotter quickly becomes a critical safety control. Their role is not only to react to hazards but to anticipate and prevent them by walking paths, scanning the work area, and guiding operators before problems arise.

One SEAA member reported a serious incident in a 60 ft. boom lift: An operator working alone extended into the third level of a building to level and weld steel tubes. As he maneuvered the boom, the bottom of the basket became lodged against a tube. After several attempts, the basket broke loose and the stored torque in the boom caused the platform to catapult upward nearly eight feet, resulting in an injury.

This type of incident underscores why spotters are so critical. A trained spotter, positioned on the ground with a clear view would have recognized the obstruction and helped to guide the operator around it to prevent the incident from occurring.

Establishing Standards on the Jobsite
While OSHA does not require a spotter in every situation, it does recommend their use with forklifts, boom lifts, and scissor lifts, especially in congested areas or where visibility is limited. Spotters are required any time an operator’s rear view is obstructed or when working near power lines.

To be effective, spotters must be trained to recognize hazards, understand equipment capabilities, and communicate clearly with operators.

Spotters and operators should agree on hand signals for commands like stop, forward or reverse, turn, and raise or lower a load. When in situations where visual contact is challenging or impossible, like noisy environments or over long distances, using two-way radios is crucial for effective communication.

Spotters need to know the operator’s blind spots, scan constantly for people, moving equipment, and ground hazards. It’s also important for a spotter to understand how loads behave so they can anticipate risks like tipping or slipping.

Best Practices for Spotters

• Walking Safely: Avoid walking backwards whenever possible. Stay alert to trip hazards in both your own path and the equipment’s path.
• Plan Before You Move: Walk the intended path with the operator before starting. Clear obstacles, identify hazards, and agree on the plan.
• Stop if Unsure: If there’s ever doubt or confusion, stop the operation. Reestablish communication and confirm the next step before moving forward.
• Positioning and Awareness: Always place yourself out of the equipment’s path but where the operator can clearly see you. Avoid standing too close to the load or in pinch points. When possible, work from the operator’s side for the best view of the backing path and surrounding area.
• Rotate Spotters Regularly: Limit spotter shifts to about four hours. Shorter rotations help prevent fatigue and keeps workers engaged.
• Maintaining Visual Contact: Keep constant eye contact with the operator. If visual contact is lost, the operator should stop immediately.
• Avoiding Distractions: Spotting is a dedicated task. Don’t use mobile phones, headphones, or take on other duties while acting as a spotter.
• High-Visibility Gear: Wear reflective or high-visibility clothing at all times. On busy jobsites, consider a different vest color to help identify the spotter quickly.
• Traffic and Congested Areas: Stay alert to more than just the equipment. Be aware of trade traffic and pedestrian movement, and use a second spotter when conditions are especially congested.

The role of a spotter is often overlooked compared to the visible work of climbing steel, connecting, and bolting, yet it carries just as much weight in determining whether a shift ends safely. Building a culture where spotting is valued, supported, and taken seriously is what separates reactive safety programs from proactive ones. When crews recognize the spotter as a partner in production and protection everyone on site benefits.
 
RESOURCES

• Construction Industry Plant Safety Group: Good Practice Guidance for Reducing Trapping/Crushing Injuries to People in MEWPs
• International Powered Access Federation (IPAF): Spotter Duties and Function Toolbox Talk
• International Powered Access Federation (IPAF): Andy Access, free downloadable resources
• The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR): Operating Heavy Equipment Hazard Alert

This Safety Flash was contributed by Jonathan Mosebach, Safety Director for LR Wilson & Sons, and Jason Farris, Executive Vice President of Safety, Cooper Steel. It’s designed to keep members informed about ongoing safety issues and to provide suggestions for reducing risk. Best practices are gathered from a variety of sources. They may be more or less stringent than individual corporate policies and are not intended to be an official recommendation from SEAA. Always get approval and direction from your company officers on any new practice or procedure as these best practices may not work for all situations.