Dump trucks pose as an essential vehicle in the construction sites. Owing to the nature of work delivered by them, it is crucial to observe a few safety measures.
Heavy vehicles and trucks are some of the toughest modes of transport. Dump trucks, among them, are the strongest, toughest as well as one of the most popular transportation vehicles.
Right from the time it was invented in, it has undertaken loads of work, delivering them with little hassle. We know what the dump trucks are; it is a huge truck with a dump box located close to the rear. This is in use to fill in materials like dirt, sand or other materials. A mechanism elevates the back box hinged usually to the tail end of trucks.
With the enhanced usage of the dump trucks in different sectors of construction and other similar industries, the number of mishaps and accidents has also increased substantially. If you consider the load of the truck and the nature of work, it’s easy to guess the reason behind mishaps. Sliding and tipping are very common here.
To bring down the chance of mishaps and accidents, it is better to follow a few tips and guidelines. Abiding by the guidelines and following a few measures will certainly ensure a safer experience for dump trucks at work.
Here are a few measures to ensure dump truck safety.
Perform Daily Checks
Take out some time to undertake basic checks. This will ensure safety from trouble and play a significant role in warding off danger. The safety checks that you must undertake include
- Checking lug nuts and tire inflation
- Checking tail lights, headlights, flood lights, backup lights
- Ensuring windshield cleanliness
- Functionality in lifting as well as lowering of dump bed
Operating Precautions
- While you enter or exit the dump truck’s cab, always use steps and the hand hold.
- Be aware of the location of obstacles like boulders, fences, overhead electric lines in places where hauling, loading or dumping will take place.
- Be aware of the blind spots. Adjust the rear view mirrors for maximization of the field of view.
- Know where the workers are.
- Use the dump box lock bars while undertaking maintenance or any other work under the raised dump boxes.
- Recognize the areas hazardous to dumping like the sloping or uneven surfaces.
- Ensure that the length of travel is level before you start spreading materials by dumping things off a moving truck.
- Know if the place where the material is dumped is sticky and if it will stick to the dump box when it is raised.
- Obey the signals, speed limit, and traffic signs.
Maintain Ample Berms
The trucks are heavy weight and they are required to act near the edge of piles. Owing to this, coming with adequate berm is of prime value. The role of berms is
- Offering the truck drivers a better idea of the location of the edge of piles
- Restraining the vehicle of reaching the edge.
Check Dumping Area for Cracks and other Problems
Cracks warn of unstable slope. The operators must be careful of the signs of tension cracks. Cracks indicate that the material is having trouble to hold its own weight. It’s not tough to guess that if the material is finding it hard to hold on to its own weight, any added weight will be tougher for it to handle. The dump trucks are quite heavy, so if they land up on the already unstable slopes, the chances of accident or mishap increase substantially.
Do not go close to the cracks or places where the berm is not high enough. It is better to mark or barricade these areas so that others are not exposed to hazardous conditions. You can rectify the situation by pushing down unstable materials and establishing adequate berm.
In case you feel that your safety at the dump point is being hampered,
- Dump away from the edge and then push the material over
- Consider dumping at the pile’s base
- Separate the dumping and loading activities
Abiding by the above-discussed steps will help to be safe and efficient. Always remember that the ability to tackle emergency situations is crucial in all situations. Even after observing these strategies, if the worst takes place, be calm, do not panic and get medical help as soon as possible. Also, get in touch with Police and truck wreck attorneys as soon as possible. This will help you to establish your case and get the necessary compensation. Though it’s tough to get over untoward incidents, getting compensated will help you a lot to cope with the situation.