Three Steps To Safer Flatbed Operations

Workplace accidents reduce productivity and can cause injuries that cost more than just missed time. The company's bottom line is impacted by worker's compensation, lawsuits, OSHA violations and fines, and other issues. When appropriate safety procedures aren't implemented, incidents involving flatbed truck loading and unloading hazards continue to occur.  Part of the safety solution might be putting in place a strict set of flatbed tarping practices.

Manuals, training, and operating procedures are all excellent resources, but without the right safety gear, a task cannot be completed safely or effectively.

If you use flatbeds in your operation, let's quickly review methods to lower the number of accidents that occur on the job site.

1. IDENTIFYING THE ISSUE

A truck with an open flatbed without walls or sides on which freight is transported is referred to as a "flatbed truck." These are enormous vehicles with a gross weight of more than 10,000 pounds when fully loaded. Depending on their maximum allowable load weight, flatbed truck trailers come in at least six different varieties.

There are two primary categories of safety problems with flatbed trucks: those that happen on the road and those that arise off the road. When materials or goods fall from a truck and strike a person or a car, or when a hazard is created that causes an accident, these incidents are sometimes referred to as on-road accidents. Cargo shifting can also result in on-road accidents when the truck swerves or crashes. Off-road accidents, on the other hand, usually happen when workers are hurt while loading or unloading the cargo.

The following are the main ways that workers may be injured when loading or unloading flatbeds:

* Slipping or tripping while climbing up to access the load

* Falling while climbing on the cargo itself

* Slipping or tripping while tying down or tarping the load

2. HIGHLIGHTING THE HAZARDS

The right tools and communication are essential while loading or unloading a flatbed or trailer. Everyone who works on or near the flatbed needs to understand the hazard zones as well as how to use tools like chocks, dunnage, tie downs, and fall protection systems properly. "Where do I go if something goes wrong?" should be the first question any employee should be asking when heavy cargo is on board.  They should not be worrying about a fall.

As safety measures, flatbed tarping techniques are quite adaptable to your demands and region. The movable loading platform, which is sturdy enough to fulfill the strictest OSHA regulations but lightweight enough for one person to move, is one of the most widely used systems. To make sure it can be safely positioned up against the toughest vehicles or the most sensitive gear, choose for an option with 360-degree swiveling casters. Wheels ought to have the flexibility to move over various surfaces and lock to offer stability.

Platforms with stairs that satisfy OSHA requirements for the depth and width of a loading platform usually have the same workspace as a fixed platform. Although they can be removed to allow access over obstacles, rails prevent falls. It should be possible to easily reposition the platforms by removing the handrails and rails without the need for tools. To expedite operations, pick one and relocate it, or run one up to both sides of the truck.

Automatic tarping solutions, sliding gangways, and fall protection for overhead trolley rails are some of the customizations available for mobile platforms. In order to lessen the likelihood of rain, snow, and other conditions impairing stability and footing, platforms can also be paired with canopies.

3. AVOIDING THE MISCALCULATION

Being in no position to fall in the first place is the best strategy to prevent falls. Employees won't fall from a height if safety measures, including tarping solutions, are able to keep them on the ground. However, there is no replacement for being confined to a fall prevention system if your workers must work at a height. When combined with a mobile platform, these systems greatly lower the chance of harm or death.

For platform ladders, three firm points of contact are needed. It is only asking for an accident when you climb up over the rear end of a truck bed or use a tire as a step to get onto the truck deck. It makes sense that falls from flatbed trucks result in a high number of injuries and fatalities when you factor in the force usually needed to attach a cargo or tarp. Thankfully, drivers may avoid putting themselves in these risky circumstances by using a few basic safety precautions.

When flatbed tarping protocols are implemented and followed correctly, drivers and other employees feel safer, productivity rises as reluctance and downtime diminish, accidents decline, and agencies such as OSHA and MSHA are satisfied.

An excellent starting point for the flatbed loading facility will be to design, implement, and then adhere to a systematic plan of flatbed tarping operations.  Flatbed tarping systems from Sam Carbis Solutions Group make tarping simpler, and creating a solid safety plan is an excellent way to prevent accidents. OSHA Compliance is always a good goal!