Truck driver killed....(UPDATED)

Truckers come in and out of our plants on a daily basis with no incidents. On occasion an incident occurs and shines a spotlight on the hazards truckers are exposed within our gates. Here is a recent incident:

A truck driver was killed at an aluminium company in an accident one day during the week of November 10.

The aluminium company tells us (news media) the trucker was killed in the morning while loading his truck.

The President of (aluminium company), released a statement. "We are deeply saddened by (trucker’s name) passing and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and to the (trucking company name) team. (Trucking company) has been transporting material in and out of (aluminium company) for over a year. During this time (trucker’s name) had interactions with our shipping and gate security departments, and (Different company name) employees while at the plant. Local authorities have conducted an initial investigation and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration has been notified and was on site last week. We will partner with the local authorities, OSHA, and with (trucking compny) to fully understand the root cause of this tragic event."

We offer our sincere condolences to the deceased worker’s family, friends, and coworkers.

As usual the news media article provides little information other than the incident occurred during the loading process. The Aluminium Plant Safety Blog has posted numerous incidents in the past involving truckers. These past incidents included but not limited to: trucker falling off trailer, trucker being pinned by load, trucker being pinned by trailer when it moved, trucker being hit by moveable equipment (forklift truck, overhead crane, etc.), trucker hit by other truck.

When we know the exact cause(s) we will update this post. The following information was found on Pentalift (loading dock equipment manufacturer) regarding precautions truckers need to take.

Safety Precautions

Use vehicle restraints

When loading or unloading your vehicle, always shut off the engine and make proper use of all available vehicle restraints. There are many different kinds of vehicle restraint devices, but wheel chocks must be used as a minimum to prevent the vehicle from shifted and moving.

Check load capacity of dock plates

Before using and dock plates, check for signs of wear. Corrosion or a failure of welds can cause serious injuries. Also be sure to check that it will support the combined weight of your cargo, any lifting device being used, and the person moving it.

Only use dock plates as intended

Dock plates should always be positioned so that they have a minimum overlap of 8 inches at each end. Make sure it is properly secured before use: dock plates should be flush with the surface below in order to minimize movement and wear.

Be aware of trailer creep

The repeated forces of loading or unloading a trailer can cause it to shift slowly over time, increasing risk of injury. To prevent this, check restraints and wheel chocks periodically and correct as necessary.

Use personal protective equipment

Always use the appropriate personal protective equipment for the job at hand. This equipment should be in good condition and well-fitted, and may include safety shoes, gloves, hard hats, or eye protection.

Do not block exits

Be sure to never block any emergency equipment with your truck, even if you think it will only be for a few moments. Fire exits, extinguishers, and sprinklers; first aid kits; and eye wash stations must be accessible at all times.

Watch for pedestrians

Whenever operating your vehicle, watch carefully for distracted pedestrians and drive carefully.

UPDATE

Through our plant contacts we have been told the following. Apparently a rolling slab was loaded on a flat bed truck. The forktruck after loading the slab pulled back and lowered its forks to the ground. The operator then began to do his paperwork. Somehow the slab slid off the truck and landed on the driver who was in the process of strapping it down. The time from the slab being loaded to the incident occur was several minutes. Further investigation is being completed but it was initially theorized that ice on the timbers and the trailer not being leveled contributed to the slab sliding off and killing the driver. 

We will post further information as it becomes available.

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