Loader Danger at the Foot of a Wood Chip Mountain

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A Little Wisdom Helps You Become Smarter !

In the video, a large yellow loader is working next to a massive pile of wood chips at a wood panel factory. The pile looks like a steep hill, taller than the loader itself. The driver tries repeatedly to scoop chips from the bottom of the pile, but the loose material keeps sliding down, making the job slow and risky. Each time the loader digs into the pile, chunks of wood chips tumble dangerously close to the machine.

This common practice hides serious dangers. Wood chips are lightweight and slippery, especially when piled too high or at a steep angle. A pile taller than 6 meters (20 feet) or steeper than 35 degrees can collapse suddenly, burying workers or equipment in seconds. The video shows two critical mistakes: digging from the bottom of an unstable pile and working too close to its base. Rain, wind, or even vibrations from the loader can trigger a deadly landslide.

To fix this, factories should follow three simple rules. First, build smaller, flatter piles—no steeper than a 30-degree slope and no taller than two loader machines stacked up. Second, use conveyor belts or pipes to move chips over longer distances instead of relying only on loaders. Third, mark safety zones with bright paint or fences to keep workers and machines at least twice the pile’s height away from the base. Training drivers to scoop from the top down, not the bottom up, also reduces collapse risks.

Simple changes like these cost little but save lives. Every worker deserves to go home safe.