Govt proposes stricter safety norms for construction machinery

To ensure greater safety on highways, the government has proposed stricter norms that include features like machine-mounted audible travel alarms, non-metallic fuel tank and wider operator visibility for construction equipment machinery.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has come out with a draft notification for construction equipment vehicles that addresses issues of safety requirements, safety of the operator besides ensuring safety while such machines are running on public roads along with other vehicles.

Currently, certain safety requirements are already mandated for such vehicles in Central Motor Vehicles Rules but the proposed notification aims to introduce AIS (Automotive Industry Standard) 160 to introduce several safety requirements like machine mounted audible travel alarms, visual display requirements, requirements for operator station and maintenance areas, non-metallic fuel tanks and Minimum Access Dimensions.

Construction equipment vehicles are extensively used for carrying out various infrastructure projects.

To provide for safety of operator and to ensure safety while such machines are running on public roads along with other vehicles, the government has invited suggestion from stakeholders and people on the proposed safety norms.

Construction equipment vehicle means a self-propelled machine with rubber tyred, rubber padded or steel drum wheel mounted compactor, wheeled hydraulic excavator, wheel loader, backhoe loader, skid-steer loader, dumper, motor grader, mobile crane, dozer and pavers among others, the notification said.