Disaster Strikes: Beware Of Equipment Transport Dangers

Use caution when loading and unloading excavation equipment at the job site.
Disaster Strikes: Beware Of Equipment Transport Dangers
Luckily nobody was hurt when this excavator tumbled off of a transport trailer during loading at an onsite job site. Use great caution when transporting equipment in the field to avoid a scene like this one.

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A few months ago we addressed a number of safety issues installers need to be aware of. One item we mentioned – but didn’t discuss in any detail – is matching excavation equipment to the correct trailer and truck for hauling from one job site to another. One reason we didn’t elaborate on equipment transport safety is that neither of us are experts on the topic. We felt giving a heads-up about the safety issue was appropriate and then encouraged our readers to seek further information.

Then, as so often happens a short time after a Basic Training article is published, we received a photo from Brian Dickey – a registered sanitarian from Chelan-Douglas Health District in East Wenatchee, Wash. – showing what happened when an installer had trouble loading a backhoe on a trailer for transport. It’s disturbing to see the overturned excavator. Fortunately no one was seriously injured. Often when we hear of these types of accidents this is not the case.

This prompted us to take a closer look at this safety issue and provide a few thoughts on avoiding this type of accident. Before we get started, we ask that you keep in mind that your state Department of Transportation sets vehicle road weight restrictions and driver requirements for commercial vehicles. This includes such items as vehicle load securement, maximum weights, seasonal usage/exemptions for road restrictions and driver’s license requirements.

In Minnesota, these requirements can be found at the state’s DOT website. They also offer training sessions and will answer questions. So check with your state DOT if you have any questions. Also, federal regulations need to be followed and many states have adopted these requirements. If you are attending Education Day during the 2015 Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport (WWETT) Show in Indianapolis (Feb. 23), sessions will address different aspects of DOT regulations. Take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about driver requirements.

TRAILER CARRYING CAPACITY

The top safety concern for trailers is ensuring adequate carrying capacity for the load and equipment being transported. The installer is responsible for following all of the requirements for these trailers. Failure to do so can result in large fines when your rigs are subject to DOT inspections. More critical than the fine, though, is that an undersized trailer can result in a number of safety problems. An accident could be caused due to failure of the trailer itself or the tires due to an overload. This is dangerous for the installer, but an improperly loaded trailer on the road is also a danger to the public.

The next common problem for trailers is an improperly secured load. The installer or crew members should be familiar with the equipment being hauled and how it needs to be secured to the trailer. The state DOT can provide information on how an excavator should be transported. This includes the number of tie-downs needed and weight ratings for the chains and chokers.

The driver of the truck-trailer must be familiar with and able to operate the equipment being loaded. As evidenced by the photo, loading and unloading can be dangerous and an inexperienced operator increases the likelihood of a problem during the procedure. It is important to carefully choose the site where equipment is loaded or unloaded. If there is too much slope or the ground is soft and unstable, the equipment could tip over, which looks like a contributing factor in this photo Dickey provided.

CREATE A SAFETY LOG

Any equipment – including your transport trailers – requires regular maintenance. You need to make sure all of the equipment on the trailer is in good operating condition; that the tail, backup and directional lights are all in working order. There should be a written safety log for trailers and all of your equipment to effectively track maintenance and repairs. This should be part of the driver’s daily checklist whenever equipment is going to be hauled. When problems are identified, fix them before equipment goes back into service.

One of the most frequent causes of accidents is being in a hurry. It is easy to see that an accident like the one pictured could happen either by rushing to get on the job site to place a tank or at the end of the day when it is time to head back to the shop. In all cases the installer needs to take the time to do things safely. Being hasty or cutting corners usually has negative consequences.

Weather conditions can also impact safety. In this case it was raining at the time of the tip-over, which could make surfaces slippery. In bad weather contractors can be in a hurry to button things up, but you don’t want to rush when loading or unloading equipment in potentially slippery conditions. When it is raining or snowing extra caution is in order; what is a simple task during a clear, dry day can become much more difficult.

Another contributing factor in this mishap may have been loading on a sloping site. Ideally the loading and unloading should take place on a level area, even if it’s a distance from the area to be worked.

Hopefully these points provide the basis for safe equipment hauling so you can avoid a bad day like the one experienced by the installers who owned the equipment in Dickey’s photo.



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