DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Preventing Injuries and Deaths

from Skid-Steer Loaders

Workplace

Safety and Health
NOTICE TO READERS

The first edition of this Alert incorrectly referenced several OSHA regulations as applying to skid-steer loaders. This revised edition removes references to those standards. In addition, this revised Alert addresses differences in skid-steer loader design and contains several minor revisions and changes in wording to improve clarity.

This document is in the public domain and may be freely copied and 

reprinted.

DISCLAIMER 

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external to NIOSH do not constitute NIOSH endorsement of the sponsoring organizations 

or their programs or products. Furthermore, NIOSH is not responsible for the content of 

these Web sites. All Web addresses referenced in this document were accessible as of 

the publication date.

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DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2011–128

(superscedes 98–117)

December 2010

Safe • Healthier • PeopleTM
Preventing Injuries and Deaths from

Skid-Steer Loaders

 Do not travel across slopes. Travel straight 

up or down, with the heavy end of the machine pointed uphill. 

 Keep bystanders away from the work area. 

 NEVER modify or bypass safety devices. 

 NEVER carry riders.

 Be aware that each machine may operate 

differently. 

2. Enter and exit from the loader safely: 

 Enter and exit a loader when the bucket is 

flat on the ground or when the lift-arm support device is in place. 

 When entering a loader, face the seat and 

keep a three-point contact with handholds 

and steps. 

 NEVER use foot or hand controls as steps or 

handholds. 

 Keep all walking and working surfaces clean 

and clear of debris. 

 Before leaving the operator’s seat:

— lower the bucket flat on the ground,

— set the parking brake,

— turn off the engine.

WARNING!

Workers who operate or work near skid-steer loaders may be 

crushed or caught by the machine or its parts.

If you operate or work near skid-steer loaders, take 

these steps to protect yourself. 

1. Follow safe operating procedures: 

 Read and understand all safety and operating 

procedures outlined in the operators manual, 

workshop manual, and safety decals.

 Operate the loader only when properly positioned in the operator’s compartment—never from the outside.

 Stay seated when operating the loader controls.

 Operate with the seat belt snuggly fastened 

and the restraint bar properly positioned, if 

one is provided. 

 Keep hands, arms, legs, and head inside the 

operator’s compartment while operating the 

loader. 

 Load, unload, and turn on level ground when 

possible. 

 Travel and turn with the bucket in the lowest 

position possible. Carry the load low.

 Operate on stable surfaces only. Avoid slippery surfaces.
Preventing Injuries and Deaths from

Skid-Steer Loaders

 Do not travel across slopes. Travel straight 

up or down, with the heavy end of the machine pointed uphill. 

 Keep bystanders away from the work area. 

 NEVER modify or bypass safety devices. 

 NEVER carry riders.

 Be aware that each machine may operate 

differently. 

2. Enter and exit from the loader safely: 

 Enter and exit a loader when the bucket is 

flat on the ground or when the lift-arm support device is in place. 

 When entering a loader, face the seat and 

keep a three-point contact with handholds 

and steps. 

 NEVER use foot or hand controls as steps or 

handholds. 

 Keep all walking and working surfaces clean 

and clear of debris. 

 Before leaving the operator’s seat:

— lower the bucket flat on the ground,

— set the parking brake,

— turn off the engine.

WARNING!

Workers who operate or work near skid-steer loaders may be 

crushed or caught by the machine or its parts.

If you operate or work near skid-steer loaders, take 

these steps to protect yourself. 

1. Follow safe operating procedures: 

 Read and understand all safety and operating 

procedures outlined in the operators manual, 

workshop manual, and safety decals.

 Operate the loader only when properly positioned in the operator’s compartment—never from the outside.

 Stay seated when operating the loader controls.

 Operate with the seat belt snuggly fastened 

and the restraint bar properly positioned, if 

one is provided. 

 Keep hands, arms, legs, and head inside the 

operator’s compartment while operating the 

loader. 

 Load, unload, and turn on level ground when 

possible. 

 Travel and turn with the bucket in the lowest 

position possible. Carry the load low.

 Operate on stable surfaces only. Avoid slippery surfaces.
Prevención de lesiones y muertes causadas

por minicargadores

 Opere sólo en superficies estables. Evite las 

superficies resbalosas.

 No avance de manera transversal sobre 

terrenos inclinados. Avance en línea recta 

hacia arriba o hacia abajo con la parte 

pesada de la máquina apuntando hacia la 

parte elevada del terreno. 

 Mantenga a los espectadores alejados del 

área de trabajo. 

 NUNCA modifique o pase por alto los 

dispositivos de seguridad. 

 NUNCA transporte pasajeros.

 Tenga en cuenta que cada máquina puede 

operar de manera diferente. 

2. Entre y salga del cargador de manera segura: 

 Entre y salga del cargador únicamente 

cuando el cucharón esté descansando sobre 

el piso o cuando el dispositivo de soporte 

para el brazo de elevación se encuentre en 

posición. 

 Cuando entre al cargador, colóquese frente al 

asiento y utilice agarraderas y peldaños para 

mantener tres puntos de contacto. 

 NUNCA utilice los controles de mano o de pie 

como agarraderas o peldaños. 

¡ADVERTENCIA!

Los trabajadores que operan o trabajan cerca de minicargadores pueden 

ser aplastados o quedar atrapados por la máquina o sus partes.

Si usted opera o trabaja cerca de minicargadores, 

siga los pasos siguientes para protegerse. 

1. Siga los procedimientos de operación segura: 

 Lea y entienda todos los procedimientos de 

seguridad y de operación que se mencionan 

en el manual para los operadores, en el 

manual del taller y en las calcomanías de 

seguridad.

 Opere el cargador sólo cuando usted esté 

bien ubicado en el compartimiento del 

operador, y nunca desde afuera.

 Permanezca sentado cuando opere los 

controles del cargador.

 Trabaje con el cinturón de seguridad bien 

ajustado y la barra de sujeción en la posición 

correcta, en caso de que cuente con una. 

 Mantenga las manos, los brazos, las piernas 

y la cabeza dentro del compartimiento del 

operador mientras opere el cargador. 

 Cuando sea posible, cargue, descargue y gire 

en terrenos nivelados. 

 Avance y gire con el cucharón en la posición 

más baja posible. Lleve la carga a una altura 

baja.
Prevención de lesiones y muertes causadas

por minicargadores

 Opere sólo en superficies estables. Evite las 

superficies resbalosas.

 No avance de manera transversal sobre 

terrenos inclinados. Avance en línea recta 

hacia arriba o hacia abajo con la parte 

pesada de la máquina apuntando hacia la 

parte elevada del terreno. 

 Mantenga a los espectadores alejados del 

área de trabajo. 

 NUNCA modifique o pase por alto los 

dispositivos de seguridad. 

 NUNCA transporte pasajeros.

 Tenga en cuenta que cada máquina puede 

operar de manera diferente. 

2. Entre y salga del cargador de manera segura: 

 Entre y salga del cargador únicamente 

cuando el cucharón esté descansando sobre 

el piso o cuando el dispositivo de soporte 

para el brazo de elevación se encuentre en 

posición. 

 Cuando entre al cargador, colóquese frente al 

asiento y utilice agarraderas y peldaños para 

mantener tres puntos de contacto. 

 NUNCA utilice los controles de mano o de pie 

como agarraderas o peldaños. 

¡ADVERTENCIA!

Los trabajadores que operan o trabajan cerca de minicargadores pueden 

ser aplastados o quedar atrapados por la máquina o sus partes.

Si usted opera o trabaja cerca de minicargadores, 

siga los pasos siguientes para protegerse. 

1. Siga los procedimientos de operación segura: 

 Lea y entienda todos los procedimientos de 

seguridad y de operación que se mencionan 

en el manual para los operadores, en el 

manual del taller y en las calcomanías de 

seguridad.

 Opere el cargador sólo cuando usted esté 

bien ubicado en el compartimiento del 

operador, y nunca desde afuera.

 Permanezca sentado cuando opere los 

controles del cargador.

 Trabaje con el cinturón de seguridad bien 

ajustado y la barra de sujeción en la posición 

correcta, en caso de que cuente con una. 

 Mantenga las manos, los brazos, las piernas 

y la cabeza dentro del compartimiento del 

operador mientras opere el cargador. 

 Cuando sea posible, cargue, descargue y gire 

en terrenos nivelados. 

 Avance y gire con el cucharón en la posición 

más baja posible. Lleve la carga a una altura 

baja.
1

Preventing Injuries and Deaths from

Skid-Steer Loaders 

those associated with other types of mobile 

construction machinery. However, skid-steer 

loaders have features that can expose workers to additional injury risks. 

Most skid-steer loaders are configured with 

the operator’s seat and controls located between two lift arms and in front of the lift-arm 

pivot points. The operator enters and exits 

through the front of the machine by stepping 

over the lowered lift arm and its attachment, 

usually a loader bucket (see Figure 1). This 

front-entry configuration places the operator 

in the zone of lift-arm movement with the potential of being caught between the machine 

frame and the lift arm or attachment if controls are inadvertently activated during entry 

or exit. Side entry skid-steer loaders were introduced into the U.S. market in 1995. This 

side-entry configuration allows the operator 

to enter and exit the machine on the side opposite the single lift arm, away from the zone 

of lift-arm movement. 

However, while performing activities other 

than entering or exiting the machine, the potential for injury from being caught between 

the lift-arm attachment and the machine 

The National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health (NIOSH) requests assistance in preventing injuries and deaths 

among workers who operate, service, or 

work near skid-steer loaders. This type of 

loader is commonly used in agriculture, 

construction, and general industry for materials handling and excavating. NIOSH studies in the 1990s suggested that employers, 

supervisors, and workers may not fully appreciate the potential hazards associated 

with operating or working near skid-steer 

loaders and they may not follow safe work 

procedures for controlling these hazards. 

This Alert describes six deaths involving 

skid-steer loaders and recommends methods for preventing similar incidents.

BACKGROUND

Risk of Injury 

Improper operation of skid-steer loaders 

can put workers at risk of rollover and runover incidents. These risks are similar to 

WARNING!

Workers who operate or work near skid-steer loaders may be crushed or 

caught by the machine or its parts.
2 Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Skid-Steer Loaders

frame is present with either type of machine 

when safe procedures are not followed. For 

example, skid-steer loaders are very compact 

and the operator sits close to the zone of liftarm movement. Operators can be struck by 

a lift arm or caught between a lift arm and 

the machine frame if they lean or reach out 

of the operator’s compartment while the lift 

arm is moving. 

Current Safeguards 

Control Interlocks—To prevent unintentional 

control activation, skid-steer loaders are 

equipped with interlocked control systems. 

These interlocked control systems require 

that a safety device such as a seat belt be 

secured or restraint bar be properly positioned 

before the operational controls can function. 

This ensures that the operator is safely seated away from the zone of lift-arm movement 

before the machine can be operated. 

Rollover Protective Structures and Operator Restraints—Skid-steer loaders are also 

equipped with rollover protective structures 

(ROPS) and seat belts to keep the operator 

inside the machine during rollover incidents. 

Falling object protective structures (FOPS) 

are provided to protect the operator from being struck by falling material. 

Side Screens—Metal or glass side screens 

integrated with the ROPS prevent the operator from leaning or reaching out of the operator’s compartment and coming into contact 

with a moving lift arm. Side screens may 

Figure 1
Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Skid-Steer Loaders 3

also protect operators from being injured 

by debris or objects entering the operator’s 

compartment.

Fatality Data

Several databases identify work-related fatalities in the United States: 

 NTOF*—NIOSH National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities Surveillance System 

 FACE—NIOSH Fatality Assessment and 

Control Evaluation Program 

 CFOI—Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries of the Bureau of Labor Statistics 

The following summary describes the data 

on fatalities involving skid-steer loaders in 

these databases for varying time periods extending from 1980 to 1997. 

NTOF—During the period 1980–1992, the 

NTOF Surveillance System used death certificate data to identify 54 work-related fatalities 

involving skid-steer loaders [NIOSH 1997b]. 

An additional 65 fatalities were attributed to 

pinning between the loader bucket and frame 

or between a loader lift arm and frame but 

*Data from NTOF is no longer being collected.

no loader type was identified. Some of these 

fatalities may have involved skid-steer loaders. The NTOF data probably underestimate 

the number of fatalities involving skid-steer 

loaders, because death certificates do not 

identify all work-related fatalities [Russell 

and Conroy 1991; Stout and Bell 1991].

FACE—During the period 1992–1997, the 

NIOSH FACE Program identified 37 workrelated fatalities involving skid-steer loaders. 

 Types of incidents

Number of 

fatalities

Pinning between the bucket 

and frame or between a lift 

arm and frame 

29 (78%)

Rollovers 6

Other/unknown 2

The 29 fatalities involving pinning between the 

bucket and frame or between a lift arm and 

frame resulted from the following activities: 

 Types of activities

Number of 

fatalities

Working or standing under a 

raised lift arm or attachment 

without proper support device 

10

Leaning out of the operator’s 

compartment into the path of 

the moving lift arm 

8

Entering or exiting the operator’s 

compartment 

5

Unknown 6

CFOI—During the period 1992–94, the CFOI 

identified 20 work-related fatalities involving 

skid-steer loaders. Of these 20 fatalities, 14 

(70%) involved pinning between the loader 

bucket and frame or between a lift arm and 

frame. 

Types of incidents

Number of 

fatalities

Pinning between the bucket 

and frame or between the lift 

arm and frame

25 (46%)

Crushing, for which no further 

information was provided 

15

Rollovers 11

Pinning between the loader 

and another object 

2

Runover 1
4 Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Skid-Steer Loaders

STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS

OSHA Regulations

The current Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration (OSHA) regulations for the 

construction industry (29 CFR† 1926) do not 

specifically address skid-steer loaders. The 

regulations do, however, require employers 

to protect workers from hazards associated 

with operating and maintaining mobile machines.

SAE International Standard

SAE International has developed a Surface 

Vehicle Standard that addresses skid-steer 

loader safety: J1388 [SAE 2008]. This document contains design guidelines that address such hazards as machine rollovers 

and being caught between a lift arm and 

frame, or the attachment and frame. To conform to this standard, manufacturers must 

adhere to the following: 

 Provide warnings, operator instructions, 

and service procedures.

 Equip machines with seat belts.

 Provide a means to protect the operator from the hazard of a lift arm lowering 

when entering and exiting the machine.

 Provide handholds and steps to facilitate 

entry and exit from the loader.

 Provide ROPS/FOPS with side screens.

 Provide two access openings, one for 

emergency exit.

 Provide safety signs and instructions to 

warn users of the potential hazards during normal operation and servicing. 

†Code of Federal Regulations. See CFR in references.

CASE REPORTS

The cases presented here were investigated 

by the FACE Program between 1992 and 

1997.

Case 1— Bypassed Interlocked 

Control System

On February 7, 1995, a 37-year-old male 

farmer died after he was struck by the bucket of a front-entry skid-steer loader. The incident occurred after the farmer had used the 

loader for chores and parked it in an open 

garage without cleaning accumulated mud, 

snow, and manure from the foot-operated 

lift-arm and bucket controls. When the farmer shut down and exited the machine, he 

stepped on the lift-arm control pedal, moving it to the “raise” position. The debris under the pedal then froze, locking the control 

pedal in that position. After about an hour, 

the farmer returned, entered the loader, and 

started the engine. The lift arm rose until 

the bucket contacted the header over the 

open garage door. The farmer shut down the 

machine, dismounted, knelt on the ground 

in front of the machine under the raised 

bucket, and began cleaning the frozen pedals with a pry bar. While cleaning the control pedals, he moved the lift-arm foot pedal 

control to the “lower” position. The lift arm 

lowered, pinning the farmer between the 

bucket and frame of the machine. The farmer was discovered by his wife, who immediately climbed into the machine, started the 

engine, and attempted to raise the bucket. 

But the controls had frozen again, and she 

was unable to activate the lift-arm control 

pedal. A farm employee tried unsuccessfully 

to raise the bucket with a jack. The farmer 

was eventually freed by the local fire department. Resuscitation efforts began at the 
Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Skid-Steer Loaders 5

scene and continued during transport to a 

local hospital, but they were unsuccessful 

[University of Iowa 1995].

Although several factors contributed to the 

injury, two factors were critical: 

1. The interlocked control system for the liftarm control had been bypassed by someone jamming a glove into the safety interlock linkage connected to the seat belt, 

so that the controls did not lock when the 

seat belt was not in use.

2. The low overhead clearance inside the 

garage prevented the lift arm from raising high enough to allow use of the liftarm support pins located near the top 

of the ROPS.

Case 2—Improper Exit, Removal of 

ROPS

On October 29, 1993, a 26-year-old male 

hog farmer was fatally injured when he was 

caught between the frame of a skid-steer 

loader and a lift-arm hydraulic cylinder. The 

farmer was working alone, using the loader 

to pile manure in one corner of a hog containment building. The loader’s ROPS had 

been removed to permit operation under the 

6- to 61⁄2-foot high ceiling of the building, and 

the lift-arm support device (on one of the 

lift cylinders) could only be used when the 

lift arm was almost fully raised. The loader 

stalled in front of and facing a manure pile 

with the bucket partially raised, blocking the 

farmer from dismounting through the front 

of the machine. As he attempted to climb out 

over the side of the machine, he unintentionally hit the lift-arm control lever, causing the 

lift arm to drop and crush him against the 

frame. A family member called 9-1-1, and 

first responders released the farmer using a 

large front-end loader and chain. The farmer 

was transported to a hospital where he was 

pronounced dead as a result of a crush injury to his chest [Minnesota Department of 

Health 1994].

Case 3—Unsupported Bucket, 

Bypassed Restraint Bar Interlock

On March 4, 1994, a 24-year-old male landscape worker died from injuries sustained 

while cleaning snow from the control pedals 

of a skid-steer loader. Using the loader and a 

pickup truck equipped with a snow plow, the 

worker and a coworker were to clear snow 

from the parking lot and walkways of a condominium complex. Upon arrival at the jobsite the morning of the incident, the worker 

borrowed a snow brush/scraper from his 

coworker to clear snow from the loader. The 

loader was equipped with control interlocks 

connected to a restraint bar, which had to be 

lowered in front of the operator before the 

engine could be started or the foot-operated 

lift-arm and bucket controls operated. The 

worker started the machine, raised the lift 

arm, and then dismounted. He either wriggled under or climbed over the restraint bar, 

or lowered it after he exited the seat. When 

the coworker plowing snow with the pickup 

truck made a pass through the area, he observed the worker standing under the raised 

bucket, leaning into the operator’s compartment. When he returned for a second 

pass, the coworker saw the worker pinned 

between the bucket and frame. While cleaning the snow from the foot well of the operator’s compartment, the worker had activated the lift-arm control pedal. The bucket 

lowered and crushed the worker against the 

frame of the machine. The emergency medical service responded minutes later and 

freed the worker. He was transported to a 

regional hospital where he was pronounced 

dead from blunt chest trauma. Although the 

equipment manufacturer provided a lift-arm 
6 Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Skid-Steer Loaders

support device for this machine, it was not 

available at the jobsite at the time of the incident [Massachusetts Department of Public Health 1994].

Case 4—Working Near Raised 

Bucket

On July 16, 1992, a 16-year-old male landscape worker died as a result of traumatic 

injuries from being struck by the bucket 

of a skid-steer loader. The worker and two 

coworkers were removing a fence that surrounded a housing development drainage 

pond. The fence had been hung on 1- by 

2-inch wooden stakes near the bottom of the 

pond’s bank, which had a 20% slope. The 

loader was being used to pull up the stakes, 

because overgrowth around the pond made 

it difficult to remove them by hand. The operator of the loader positioned it about midway 

from the top of the bank, facing down the 

slope with the bucket lowered. The worker 

and a coworker stood near the bottom of 

the bank and wound the fence around the 

loader bucket. The operator pulled the stake 

by raising the bucket. He then moved the 

machine to the next stake and lowered the 

bucket to repeat the process. As the operator was raising the bucket to pull the third 

stake, the loader tipped forward. To stabilize 

the machine, the operator lowered the bucket. At the same time, the worker who had 

been standing in front of and to the side of 

the loader, slipped and fell underneath the 

bucket. The bucket struck him in the chest 

and he died shortly thereafter from traumatic chest injuries [Minnesota Department of 

Health 1992].

Case 5—Improper Backing

Procedure, Nonuse of Seat belt

On September 20, 1996, a 43-year-old landscape worker died after he backed a skid-steer 

loader over a 6-foot concrete retaining wall. 

At the time of the incident, the operator was 

spreading topsoil to prepare for grass seeding. He performed the task by driving toward 

the wall with a fresh load of topsoil in the 

bucket, depositing the soil near the wall, and 

then backing up dragging the loader bucket 

to spread the soil evenly. He had made numerous passes in this manner, back-dragging 

the bucket from the wall and up the slope. 

However, as he approached the edge of the 

work area after depositing the topsoil on his 

last pass before the incident, he turned the 

loader around and backed toward the wall 

dragging the bucket on the ground. The left 

rear tire of the machine went over the wall, 

followed by the right rear tire. The machine 

struck the ground, rear end first, coming to 

rest on its left side. The operator, who was 

not wearing the seat belt, remained inside 

the cab but came out of the operator’s seat. 

He was knocked unconscious, with his head 

and chest wedged between the seat and 

the side screen. Several coworkers heard 

the impact and came immediately to the operator’s aid. However, emergency personnel 

were unable to find a pulse, and the operator 

was pronounced dead at the scene by the 

medical examiner. The cause of death was 

asphyxiation due to occlusion of the airway 

[Missouri Department of Health 1996].

Case 6—Removed Side Screens

On July 6, 1997, a 25-year-old male worker 

for a tree-trimming service was fatally injured when he was caught by the descending lift arm of an operating skid-steer loader. 

At the time of the incident, he was using the 

loader to pick up brush and stumps in a residential area. The side screens on the machine had been removed. Following a lunch 

break, the operator resumed operating the 

loader to gather yard debris and deposit it 
Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Skid-Steer Loaders 7

into a dump truck. As he was loading a log 

into the truck, he leaned out of the operator’s 

compartment, placing his head in the path of 

the lift arm. The lift arm moved down, either 

when the operator unintentionally stepped on 

the foot-operated lift control pedal or when 

hydraulic pressure was lost because of a ruptured hydraulic line. A passing homeowner 

noticed hydraulic fluid spraying from the machine and alerted one of the operator’s coworkers, who found the operator sitting in the 

operator’s seat with his head crushed by the 

lift arm. The cause of death was recorded as 

a crushed cranium due to a heavy equipment 

accident. Emergency personnel at the scene 

noted that the main pivot pin connecting the 

left lift arm to the frame was missing. Investigators concluded that the pin might have 

disengaged while the lift arm was down in 

the “carry” position, resulting in dislocation of 

the lift arm and rupture of the hydraulic line 

[NIOSH 1997a]. 

CONCLUSIONS

These fatal incidents suggest that employers and workers may not fully appreciate the 

potential hazards associated with operating 

or working near skid-steer loaders, the need 

to follow safe work procedures, and the consequences of bypassing interlocks and other 

safety features. 

RECOMMENDATIONS

NIOSH recommends that employers and workers comply with OSHA regulations, maintain 

equipment in accordance with manufacturer’s guidelines, and take the following measures to prevent injury when operating or 

working near skid-steer loaders: 

 Always use and maintain the following 

safety devices provided by manufacturers: 

— Lift-arm support devices

— Control interlocks

— Seat belts

— ROPS/FOPS

— Side screens

 Follow safe operating procedures. 

 Follow safe mounting and dismounting 

procedures. 

 Follow proper maintenance procedures. 

 Train workers to read and follow the manufacturer’s procedures for operating and 

servicing skid-steer loaders [AEM 2006].

The following subsections discuss these 

recommendations in detail.

Using and Maintaining Safety 

Devices Provided by Manufacturers

Regularly inspect and maintain all safety devices provided by manufacturers.

Lift-arm support—Use the lift-arm support 

device provided by or recommended by the 

manufacturer any time it is necessary to 

work or move around the machine with the 

lift arm in a raised position. Machines now 

being manufactured have either pin-type 

support devices (which can be operated 

from inside the operator’s cab) or strut-type 

support devices (which may also be operated from inside the cab or may require the 

help of a coworker). If the machine is not 

equipped with a lift-arm support device or it 

is damaged, contact the equipment dealer 

or manufacturer’s representative for help in 

determining proper support procedures or 

for replacement parts. Never use concrete 
8 Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Skid-Steer Loaders

blocks or simple metal angle irons because 

they can shift or collapse under even light 

loads. 

Interlocked controls—Regularly inspect and 

maintain interlocked controls in proper operating condition. These systems require 

the operator to be properly positioned and 

restrained before the loader can be used. 

Never bypass interlocked controls. Make 

sure that the seat belt is always securely 

fastened around the operator when the 

loader is in operation. Always use the restraint bar if one is provided. Although workers and employers may perceive safety features such as interlocked controls and seat 

belts as obstacles to efficient machine operation, bypassing these devices increases 

their risk of serious injury and death.

Seat belts—Make sure that the seat belt is 

secured around the operator whenever the 

operator is in the seat. The seat belt protects 

the operator in several ways. In the event 

of a rollover, the seat belt restrains the operator within the protective envelope of the 

ROPS. The seat belt can also protect the operator from falling out or being jostled into 

the operating zone of the lift arm and bucket. If the seat belt is part of the interlocked 

control system, it protects workers from being caught and crushed between the lift arm 

and frame. 

Field modification kits—If side screens, interlocks, ROPS/FOPS, and seat belts are not 

on the machine, contact the equipment dealer 

or manufacturer’s representative about the 

availability of field modification kits or replacement parts.

Operating Safely

If you are an employer, make sure that your 

workers understand all the manufacturer’s 

warnings and instructions before they operate 

a skid-steer loader. Train workers to use the 

following safe operating procedures: 

 Read and understand all safety and operating procedures outlined in the operator’s manual, service manual, and safety 

decals. 

 Operate the loader only when properly positioned in the operator’s compartment—

never from the outside. 

 Stay seated when operating the loader 

controls. 

 Operate with the seat belt snuggly fastened and the restraint bar properly positioned, if one is provided. 

 Keep hands, arms, legs, and head inside 

the operator’s compartment while operating the loader. 

 Plan to load, unload, and turn on level 

ground, when possible. 

 Travel and turn with the bucket in the lowest position possible. Carry the load low.

 Never exceed the manufacturer’s recommended load capacity for the machine. 

 Operate on stable surfaces only. Avoid 

slippery surfaces.

 Avoid traveling across slopes––travel 

straight up or down slopes with the heavy 

end of the machine pointed up hill. 

 Always look in the direction of travel. 

 Keep bystanders away from the work area. 

 NEVER modify or bypass safety devices.

 Never carry riders.

 Be aware that each machine may operate 

differently. 
Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Skid-Steer Loaders 9

Entering and Exiting the Loader 

Safely 

 Enter and exit when the bucket or other 

attachment is flat on the ground or when 

the lift-arm support device is in place. Use 

the lift-arm support device supplied or 

recommended by the manufacturer. 

 When entering the loader, face the seat 

and keep a three-point contact with handholds and steps. 

 Never use foot or hand controls as steps 

or handholds. 

 Keep all walking and working surfaces 

clean and clear of debris. 

 Before leaving the operator’s seat, 

— lower the bucket or other attachment flat on the ground, 

— set the parking brake,

— turn off the engine.

 If unable to exit through the primary opening for entering the machine, use the emergency exit located at the back of the operator’s compartment or as specified by 

the manufacturer.

Maintaining the Loader in Safe 

Operating Condition 

 Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for 

maintaining the loader. 

 Keep the foot controls and the operator’s 

compartment free of mud, ice, snow, and 

debris.

 Regularly inspect and maintain the following safety devices:

— Control interlocks

— Seat belts

— Restraint bars

— Side screens

— Rollover protective structures (ROPS)

— Falling object protective structures 

(FOPS) 

NEVER modify or bypass safety devices.

 Before servicing the loader,

— lower the bucket or other attachment flat on the ground,

— set the parking brake,

— turn off the engine,

— remove the key from the switch.

 If the machine cannot be serviced with 

the bucket on the ground, remove the 

bucket or attachment and use the lift-arm 

support device recommended or provided 

by the manufacturer. If the machine is not 

equipped with a lift-arm support device 

or it is damaged, contact the equipment 

dealer or manufacturer’s representative 

for help in selecting a proper support device or for replacement parts. 

 Never work on the machine with the engine running unless directed to do so by 

the operator’s manual. Follow the manufacturer’s safety recommendations to 

complete the task. If the adjustments require that the engine be in operation, use 

an additional person and work as a 2-person team with a trained operator properly 

positioned in the operator’s station who 

can effectively communicate with the 

worker making the adjustment.

Training 

Train operators and workers who operate and 

service skid-steer loaders to read and follow 

the manufacturer’s operating and service 

procedures in the operator’s manuals and 

service manuals and on the loader’s safety 
10 Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Skid-Steer Loaders

signs. For help with such training, contact 

the equipment manufacturer or check the 

manufacturer’s Web site for availability of 

training resources. Obtain manuals, instructional videos, and operator or service training courses from the equipment dealer or 

manufacturer. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Principal contributors to the first edition of 

this Alert were Paul H. Moore and Stephanie 

G. Pratt of the NIOSH Division of Safety Research. This revised edition was prepared by 

Paul H. Moore. Cases presented in this Alert 

were contributed by Margaret Wilcox, formerly of the Massachusetts Department of Public 

Health; Georjean Madery, formerly of the Minnesota Department of Health; Steven Kerr, 

formerly of the Minnesota Department of 

Health; Thomas Ray of the Missouri Department of Health; and Wayne Johnson and Risto 

Rautiainen formerly of the University of Iowa. 

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers identified inaccurate references to OSHA 

regulations in the first edition of this Alert and 

provided technical reviews of the revised material. A technical review was also provided by 

OSHA’s Office of Construction Standards and 

Guidance. Cathy Rotunda edited the revised 

edition. Please direct any comments, questions, or requests for additional information 

to the following: 

Dr. Nancy A. Stout, Director

Division of Safety Research

National Institute for Occupational Safety

 and Health

1095 Willowdale Road

Morgantown, WV 26505–2888 

Telephone: 304–285–5894 or call 1–800–

CDC–INFO (1–800–332–4636); TTY: 

1–888–232–6348. E-mail: cdcinfo@cdc.gov

We greatly appreciate your help in protecting 

the safety and health of U.S. workers.

John Howard, MD

Director, National Institute for

 Occupational Safety and Health

Centers for Disease Control

 and Prevention 

REFERENCES

Association of Equipment Manufacturers 

[2006]. Skid-Steer Safety Manual for Operating and Maintenance Personnel. Milwaukee, 

Wisconsin: Association of Equipment Manufacturers, revised March 2006.

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, Office of the Federal Register. 

Massachusetts Department of Public Health 

[1994]. Massachusetts landscaper/laborer 

dies when crushed in small skid-steer loader. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Department 

of Public Health, Massachusetts Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (MA FACE) 

Report No. 94-MA-14. 

Minnesota Department of Health [1992]. 

Landscape laborer dies after being struck by 

the bucket of a skid-steer loader. Minneapolis, MN: Minnesota Department of Health, 

Minnesota Fatal Accident and Circumstances and Epidemiology (MN FACE) Report No. 

MN9209. 

Minnesota Department of Health [1994]. 

Farmer suffers fatal crushing injuries when 

caught between a loader’s hydraulic cylinder 

and its body frame. Minneapolis, MN: Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota 
Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Skid-Steer Loaders 11

Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation 

(MN FACE) Report No. 93MN06601. 

Missouri Department of Health [1996]. Skidsteer loader operator dies after backing loader off six-foot retaining wall. Jefferson City, 

MO: Missouri Department of Health, Missouri 

Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation 

(MO FACE) Report No. 96MO082. 

NIOSH [1997a]. Laborer dies when caught 

between boom links and lift cylinder of skidsteer loading machine—North Carolina. Morgantown, WV: U. S. Department of Health and 

Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and 

Health, Division of Safety Research, Fatality 

Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) 

Report No. 97-20. 

NIOSH [1997b]. National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities (NTOF) Surveillance System. 

Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services, Public Health Service, 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 

National Institute for Occupational Safety 

and Health. Unpublished database. 

Russell J, Conroy C [1991]. Representativeness of deaths identified through the injury 

at work item on the death certificate: implications for surveillance. Am J Public Health 

81(12):1613–1618. 

SAE J1388 [2008]. Surface vehicle standard personnel protection—skid-steer loaders. Warrendale, PA: SAE International, SAE 

1388 FEB2008.

Stout N, Bell C [1991]. Effectiveness of source 

documents for identifying fatal occupational 

injuries: a synthesis of studies. Am J Public 

Health 81(6):725–728. 

University of Iowa [1995]. Farmer dies while 

cleaning foot pedals of skid-steer loader—

Iowa. Iowa City, IA: University of Iowa, Iowa 

Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation 

(IA FACE) Report No. 95-01.
12 Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Skid-Steer Loaders

NOTES
Preventing Injuries and Deaths from Skid-Steer Loaders 13

NOTES
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

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National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

4676 Columbia Parkway

Cincinnati, Ohio 45226–1998

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