Drivers of large transport vehicles require specialized training for the trucks they will be handling. Flatbed truck drivers have additional safety concerns due to the openness of their trailer and need specific safety training. These trucks typically carry irregular and more massive loads, and there is often less protection to keep the load stabilized. The following are eight safety precautions flatbed truck drivers should know.
Falling from a flatbed truck can cause serious injuries. Many companies don’t have an effective flatbed safety strategy, or even carry proper fall protection equipment for drivers until after an injury has already occured. There are four major factors that increase your risk of a potential fall from a flatbed truck or trailer that you should know about.
Climbing onto and off of a truck or trailer is a fact of life for transportation workers. Often, you drive the truck hundreds or thousands of miles, only to help the receiving workers retrieve the goods. This can mean getting up and down off the trailer many times throughout a day, each time increasing your chances of an accident. Most flatbed trailers are designed to carry goods, but not to make it easy or safe for you to climb up and down. The following information details why using a trailer ladder is a safe and efficient method of accessing your truck.
Almost every profession has the potential to expose you to some level of risk for injury. Unfortunately, these injuries are often preventable. You never want to find yourself in a hospital or at home unable to work due to an injury that didn’t have to happen. If you are a flatbed truck driver, you should know about these safety tips to keep yourself safe and working efficiently.
Shopping for flatbed trailer safety systems can be challenging, as you will find many options offered online and in stores. Looking through all of the choices may be difficult when you have to narrow your search to match your specific equipment. To locate the right solution that will be ideal for your needs, you should consider which types of safety systems work for you. When you start searching for the best safety solutions for your operations, the following nine tips can help.
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.
The transportation industry has many dangers, including falling objects, collisions, falls, and long-term sitting. Many people are not aware that most people who die from falls only fall 20 feet or less. There are many dangers in the transportation industry, but many overlook them. There are a few things you can do to limit the risk to your employees that work with tankers, loading docks, rail cars, and flatbed trailers.
Truck drivers tend to be in a hurry, and this is just the nature of the industry. There are many miles to cover and loads to be delivered with deadlines to meet. When you drive a vehicle as large as a tractor-trailer, you are responsible for the safety of those on the road and yourself. The following are ten truck driving safety tips that you can use a general guideline when you are on the road.
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.
