7. PRECAUTIONS DURING OPERATION a WARNING: Failure to follow these safety precautions may lead to a serious accident. 7.1 BEFORE STARTING ENGINE 4 SAFETY AT WORKSITE 1 Before starting operations, thoroughly check the area for any unusual conditions that could be dangerous. Examine the shape of the ground and the quality of the soil at the jobsite, and determine the optimum method of opera- tion. When working on public roads, position flagmen and erect barriers to ensure the safety of passing traffic and pedestrians.
In places where there are buried objects, such as water pipes, gas pipes, or pipes for high voltage cables, contact the com- pany in charge to confirm the position of the buried object, and be careful not to damage the object during operations. When working in water or when crossing sand banks, first check the condition of the ground and the depth and speed of flow of the water. Be sure not to exceed the permitted water depth. Permissible water depth * See “12.10 PRECAUTIONS FOR OPERATION”. FIRE PREVENTION 1 Thoroughly remove wood chips, leaves, paper and other flam- mable things accumulated in the engine compartment. They could cause a fire.
Check fuel, lubrication, and hydraulic systems for leaks. Have any leaks repaired. Wipe up any excess oil, fuel or other flammable fluids. Check point + See “12.1.1 WALK-AROUND CHECK”. Be sure a fire extinguisher is present and working. Do not operate the machine near any flame. l Do not leave tools or spare parts lying around in the operator’s compartment. They may damage or break the control levers or switches. Always put them in the tool box on the right side of the machine. IN OPERATORS CAB l Keep the cab floor, controls, steps and handrails free of oil, grease, snow, and excess dirt. l Check the seat belt, buckle and hardware for damage or wear. Replace any worn or damaged parts.
Always use seat belts when operating your machine. Seat belts -) See “27. SEAT BELT”. l-7