Ep.1586 - Get Out of the Swing Radius

Ep.1586 - Get Out of the Swing Radius

From Elevate Construction by Jason Schroeder

April 22, 2026 · 7 min · Season 15 · Episode 1586

About this episode

Jason shares a personal story to emphasize the importance of staying out of the swing radius on construction sites for safety.

In this episode, Jason shares a deeply personal and tragic story to make a critical point about construction site safety: get out of the swing radius. He recounts the heartbreaking loss of his mentor's son, who was killed when he was struck by equipment on a job site, an avoidable tragedy that haunts Jason to this day. Through this painful experience, Jason urges all construction workers and leaders to take site safety seriously and never allow anyone to work within the swing radius of equipment like backhoes or blades. Jason emphasizes that what's "normal" or "accepted practice" on construction sites isn't always safe, and simple changes in behavior can save lives. He shares statistics from OSHA and other agencies that highlight the frequency and severity of struck-by and caught-between injuries and stresses the importance of maintaining a safe distance from operating machinery. What you'll learn in this episode: Why the swing radius of heavy equipment is one of the most dangerous hazards on a construction site. How small mistakes and lack of awareness can lead to fatal accidents. The importance of setting clear boundaries around machinery and enforcing safety protocols. What…

People in this episode

Host: Jason Schroeder

Topics covered

  • construction site safety
  • swing radius
  • accident prevention
  • safety protocols
  • heavy equipment hazards

Keywords

  • swing radius
  • construction safety
  • struck-by injuries
  • caught-between injuries
  • heavy equipment

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: OSHA

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