Operator and Environmental Factors Associated with Off-Road Equipment Risk

Accidents and injuries associated with the use of utility oriented equipment, by both commercial and consumer users, involve a broad range of factors. Analysis of these factors and their role in the risk of those activities can be useful to develop effective risk reduction strategies. Generally, these can be identified as mechanism (equipment), human (operator), and environmental factors. This paper briefly looks at the human factors and the human/environmental aspects of these systems. The human/environmental aspects deal with both the mechanical operating, and chemical related environments. Both are associated with certain types of risk.