"overturned, skidding for more than 100 meters..."

The delivery of finished products by trucks is a hidden hazard many in our industry are blind to. Only when an incident occurs is the hidden hazard made known. Here is a recent incident highlighting the hazard of improper securement of finished products.

Overturning leaves one injured and causes bridge closure in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. (Name omitted) who was traveling in a Freightliner trailer transporting a huge aluminum coil, was circulating on the Second Ring Road and before fully climbing to the top of the bridge, the unit lost control and overturned, skidding for more than 100 meters 

A heavy unit that loaded aluminum rolls, was crossed after overturning in the Bridge of the Second Peripheral Ring, where the driver was injured The overturn, which occurred this Thursday afternoon, caused the total closure of the vehicular bridge for two hours, because the unit was crossed and there was also a spill of liquids. Manuel, the operator, was helped by paramedics from Civil Protection and Firefighters, who transferred him to the Social Security Hospital (IMSS) for medical attention. It was reported that the truck, who was traveling in a 2006 Freightliner trailer transporting a huge roll of aluminum, was circulating from east to west along the Second Ring Road. Before fully climbing to the top of the vehicle bridge, the unit lost control and overturned, skidding for more than 100 meters, according to reports

Paramedics and Civil Protection officers were sent to the scene, the first helped the operator and took him to the hospital, the others spread dirt on the ground. This was due to the fact that the trailer spilled oil and diesel on the pavement , thereby avoiding other accidents. Due to the accident, vehicular traffic on the bridge remained closed for more than two hours and long lines formed along the side roads.

We pray that the injured trucker recovers fully from his injuries. We are thankful that no one else was injured or killed. Looking at the photo below we wonder what was holding down this large aluminium coil. We can see only one strap highlighted in the red circle. What was holding it down? We would have expected to see broken chains. We do not. One would expect to see some ends of chains or even straps connected on the rub bars. But there are none except the one highlighted in red. We think this load was improperly secured. The Aluminium Plant Safety Blog has posted incidents repeatedly involving incidents where the load of aluminium (e.g., rolls, rolling ingots, extrusions, billets, etc.) came off the truck because of improper securement.

We have posted several incidents where a truck overturned and the load stayed secured. Unfortunately, in this incident the load did not stay secured when the trailer overturned.

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