TForce | UPS Freight Worker dies after being hit by truck coroner says...

This is horrific. RIP Raymond, he was so close to retirement. Prayers to the surviving family members.

On Tuesday, due to this fatality, my terminal had a PCM about wearing our vests and ‘tooting’ our horns every three seconds. IMO they help but at the same time we’ve become numb towards them, some of us have driven our yards many miles around and have become complacent with what could happen, we drop our guards. No matter where we are walking, what we are doing, how late we might or might not be, we just have to pay attention and be aware.
I think each terminal has to assess their situation, look for flaws and seriously consider making true changes and enforcements. One is already too many, we are past one.
It sucks that we have to be more reactive than proactive at things.

I’m sure there will be attorneys scouring social media looking for added information.
 
This is horrific. RIP Raymond, he was so close to retirement. Prayers to the surviving family members.

On Tuesday, due to this fatality, my terminal had a PCM about wearing our vests and ‘tooting’ our horns every three seconds. IMO they help but at the same time we’ve become numb towards them, some of us have driven our yards many miles around and have become complacent with what could happen, we drop our guards. No matter where we are walking, what we are doing, how late we might or might not be, we just have to pay attention and be aware.
I think each terminal has to assess their situation, look for flaws and seriously consider making true changes and enforcements. One is already too many, we are past one.
It sucks that we have to be more reactive than proactive at things.

I’m sure there will be attorneys scouring social media looking for added information.
Vests might help but common sense about speed on the yard would also help. I remember suggesting putting reverse warnings & reverse lights on yard tractors. The safety department agreed. Most all construction equipment now has the warning that is loud enough to be heard. It is now mandatory in some states. A dock worker was almost hit in the dark after walking in front of a trailer that was about to be hooked. He did not see the yard tractor coming. It had no reverse lights or warning. After a short time hostlers cut the wire because they said the loud beeping was annoying.
An ABF employee was killed in Chicago a few years back in much the same way. The company then required safety vests to be worn on the yard.
 
Poor lighting and speed are the issues, also walking in the yard in the dark, you need to be aware of what is going on around you.
The truth is we don't know if the person who died was hit while walking, or if they had possibly collapsed and were in a lying position. Were the stuck form the front or the back? Did it happen out in the open or in-between trailers?
 
Vests might help but common sense about speed on the yard would also help. I remember suggesting putting reverse warnings & reverse lights on yard tractors. The safety department agreed. Most all construction equipment now has the warning that is loud enough to be heard. It is now mandatory in some states. A dock worker was almost hit in the dark after walking in front of a trailer that was about to be hooked. He did not see the yard tractor coming. It had no reverse lights or warning. After a short time hostlers cut the wire because they said the loud beeping was annoying.
An ABF employee was killed in Chicago a few years back in much the same way. The company then required safety vests to be worn on the yard.
We had this happen in Charl in the early 60s.
A line driver stepped from his tractor at night with his cool cushion over his head in the rain and was ran over by the switcher.
 
This is really sad and I’m praying for the family of Raymont and the yard man too. We need to realize he is probably going to be running this in head on repeat for a long time.

Every linehaul driver that has ran into a bigger terminal or a breakbulk has had to dodge a yard horse at least once.

Back up beepers and reverse lights and reflective vests and speed limits and all that doesn’t replace common sense and keeping a handle on where you are and not just the task at hand.

My biggest complaint about OD is the drivers that come out of training were never taught to wait for a driver to be done hooking before backing under a trailer next to them. It is everyone being in a hurry and not thinking about anything other than themselves too.

I’m sorry about the long post I’ll do part 2 tomorrow.
 
This is really sad and I’m praying for the family of Raymont and the yard man too. We need to realize he is probably going to be running this in head on repeat for a long time.

Every linehaul driver that has ran into a bigger terminal or a breakbulk has had to dodge a yard horse at least once.

Back up beepers and reverse lights and reflective vests and speed limits and all that doesn’t replace common sense and keeping a handle on where you are and not just the task at hand.

My biggest complaint about OD is the drivers that come out of training were never taught to wait for a driver to be done hooking before backing under a trailer next to them. It is everyone being in a hurry and not thinking about anything other than themselves too.

I’m sorry about the long post I’ll do part 2 tomorrow.
Yard tractors should have a bright spotlight on the rear that is activated when in reverse. That would help the hostler with the hook & anybody near could be seen & as well anybody on the ground would be alerted. It is too late to take precautions after a preventable accident.
Every major construction company as well as drillers & pipeliners in this area have reverse warning on trucks & machines.
Nothing replaces common sense but anything that helps should be used. Unfortunately common sense is not as common as before.
 
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