Loss Control

[krwertz]

I am not in the trucking industry, but I work with a number of trucking companies to help prevent injuries to drivers outside of the truck. One problem that I need some help withinvolves drivers falling (or straining their groin) while getting in/out of of van trailers. It seems to me that van trailers should have a step (in addition to the ICC bar) and a grab rail to help them get in/out of the trailer. Both seem failrly standard with trailers that have roll-up doors. I even see a number of (newer) trailers with swing doors that a single vertical grab rail on the far right side of the left trailer door. That seems counterintuitive to me, since both doors will be opened most of the time anyway. What is keeping grab rails from being installed on the hinge side of the right trailer door? Is it that they will be bent when backing into a dock? If so what is alternative? Also what are your feelings on retractable steps or a single ladder-type step at the rear of van trailers. Where can I direct folks to get them.

[ranger309]

I have seen drivers strap a small ladder on the catwalk behind the cab on the frame rails. These are usually big guys that can't easily climb into the trailer from the ground. As to the grab bars, they won't last long on LTL trailers before a pallet or a forklift tang takes it out. Yeah liftgate rigs usually have a rollup door, so its not much of a problem with them.

[Cerberus_Kelpie]

The retractable ladder setups are usually corrupted by either drivers that fail to fold them back thus insuring damage at some point or leave them down (for inexplicable reasons) and dock.
Furniture delivery vans (53', some 48') have these setups yet few of these setups are operational for very long especially with a lot of Drop-n-Hooks.
I've seen MANY trailers with the climbing handles crushed into the framework when the handles are even present at all.
A LOT of places (k-mart, wail-mart, sams, lowes, etc., D.Cs and stores) will slam these handles with Lifts while either loading (usually) or unloading.

For the drivers pulling basically the same trailers, these setups generally remain operational except of course for slip seat operations yet for some other inexplicable reasons are overlooked by the vehicle maintenance folk.

Even with these supposed Safety features, many drivers have as well sustained serious injuries (broken legs, arms, etc.) from falling.