When it is time to test your safety equipment, you want to take a serious approach to your methods for the sake of your entire company. Safety checks are required to ensure that your company’s risk exposure is minimized, and that the value of your equipment is maximized. Cutting corners or attempting to trust that one type of test will work across the board could put your company at risk for serious injuries. You should consult with a vendor who understands your needs and will tailor safety solutions to meet them. You can help protect your truck drivers by analyzing hazards and job safety and knowing the value in upgrading your equipment, among other approaches.

Properly securing cargo on a flatbed trailer is of utmost importance, not only to prevent loss of merchandise but also to ensure safety. It is important to understand the basics of strapping down cargo and how to distribute the weight of the load. Truck drivers should also know which tie-downs to use and how to safely access their flatbed trailers.

Truck drivers have the highest rate of fatality in the United States. According to the Department of Labor (“DOL”), deaths in the trucking industry increased in the early 2000s from 16.7 to 17.5 fatalities per 100,000 drivers. However, the DOL has also observed a steady decline since those high figures in illness and injuries. Injuries and illnesses dropped from 6.8 per 100 full-time employees to 6.1 during this time.

Safety is the number one concern for any company. If your employees are safe, they can do their jobs efficiently and on time. A single accident can throw off the workflow schedule, cause missed deadlines, and damage business partnerships. In short, good safety is good business.

The act of climbing on and off flatbed trailers can lead to severe injury. Some flatbed trailers are not equipped with the necessary tools to allow for safe loading and unloading. Jumping from a trailer increases the chances of slips and falls, and the impact alone can cause joint issues over time. The following are a few causes for concern and some safety measures you can put in place to ensure the safety of your truck drivers.