Final answer:
Operators of material handling and moving equipment should be protected by fall protection systems, safeguards against trench cave-ins and infectious diseases, machinery guards, respirators or safety equipment, and adequate training as per OSHA standards.
Step-by-step explanation:
Protection for Operators of Material Handling and Moving Equipment
Operators of material handling and moving equipment should be provided with a range of protections to ensure their safety in the workplace. According to OSHA standards, effective measures include providing fall protection, such as safety harnesses/lines or guardrails, and preventing exposure to hazards such as trench cave-ins and infectious diseases. Additionally, ensuring the safety of workers who enter confined spaces, protecting them from harmful chemicals, installing guards on dangerous machines, and supplying respirators or other safety equipment are also critical. Employers must also focus on eliminating or reducing hazards through changes in working conditions and providing comprehensive training in a language and vocabulary that workers can understand is mandatory. The General Duty Clause of the OSH Act requires workplaces to be free of serious recognized hazards when no specific OSHA standard applies to the hazard.