Truck Safety

Pop quiz time on trucking safety.  Let’s put on our thinking caps and see what we know in this true/false quiz.  I hope you have a pen or pencil handy.

1)      True or False:  Using two fingers for the landing gear is the best thing to do to save time.

2)      True or False: It’s safe to work on the opposite side of the load while a fork lift unloads from the other side.

3)      True or False:  It’s safe to lean backwards while climbing down a ladder on a trailer.

4)      True or False:  Using a ramp that’s not pinned or is uneven is just as safe as anything else.

5)      True or False:  You can use a cellphone anywhere you want at any time after you park your truck.

 

Ok put your pencils down and let’s see how you did.

1)      False:  Using only two fingers for the landing gear IS NOT a wise thing to do.  This causes you to rush and can result in serious injuries to the face.  One trucker had his nose broken when he leaned in too close while using only two fingers.  A very painful lesson to learn the hard way.

2)      False:  You want to stay clear of your load while it is being unloaded by a forklift as the load could become loose and fall on you.  A trucker lost his life by doing just that as the load shifted and fell on him.

3)      False: You want to keep yourself straight and tall while climbing down ladders as when you lean backwards you risk injury to yourself.  You could slip and break bones when you land and risk of death from the fall as well depending on the height from which you fell.  A trucker learned that lesson the hard way on a dark, cold morning when he was leaning back and slipped between the rungs and fell backwards and broke 7 ribs.

4)      False: Using an unpinned ramp or one that is not even can cause injury to the trucker.  If the ramp is unpinned it could become loose from the vibrations and even if you have walked it several times one of those could have you on the ground with injuries.  And with it uneven you again risk injuries because the load could become unstable and fall taking you with it.

5)      False:  After you park your truck, you should make sure that you are in a safe area before using your phone.  If you decide to stand beside or behind your truck talking on it you risk not being seen by a forklift that may have been sent to unload or one that is carrying a load from another truck. 

Ok so we have learned 5 very valuable lessons for today as sadly many truckers have learned these lessons the hard way including death.  We hope that you remember these safety lessons and practice them while you are out and doing your job.