Dump Truck Overturns Toolbox Talk

Dump Truck Overturns Safety Talk

Dump Trucks are widely used on construction sites all of the time. To haul materials or waste from one place to another. Many may assume that they are just like any other vehicle and don’t pay close attention to safety hazards when operating. It is important to remember that caution should be used at all times when you are operating a dump truck on a worksite. These trucks can turn over and pose a risk to the operator or people standing by.

Injuries Caused By Overturned Dump Trucks

When on a construction site, there are many people all around doing different jobs. When you are working it is important to pay attention to the safety of yourself and the others around you as well. Many incidents of injuries can be caused by a lack of safety concerns.

The actual number of overturning dump trucks that occur on construction sites annually is unknown. It happens far more often than it should. There is a risk of major injuries to the operator and the people standing in or around the scene when a truck flips over. These trucks are extremely heavy and can cause injury, paralysis, or even death.

Causes Of Overturned Dump Trucks

Failure to pay attention or use the correct safety precautions is probably one of the most common reasons for errors. It is easy to get comfortable on the job and feel there isn’t a risk. You should always follow protocol and pay close attention to safety when operating a dump truck. Depending on the type of work that is being done, those rules and regulations may vary from worksite to worksite. There have been many varying reports made for overturned dump trucks, for one reason or another. Some of the most common ones are:

• Load That Shifted: When a load shifts in a truck, it can really be a bad situation. It can put too much weight on one side and cause the dump truck to overturn. It is very important to pay close attention to what you are hauling and the grounds that you are driving on. You should always make the necessary adjustments as you see fit when hauling materials in a dump truck.

• Driving On Uneven Grounds: Driving on uneven grounds can be dangerous when you are operating a heavy vehicle. Not to mention the caution that needs to be taken for the load that you are carrying. When the grounds are uneven it can cause the materials or waste that is being hauled to shift. All precautions should be taken to avoid this from happening.

• Soft Materials: If the ground that the dump truck is driving on to unload the bed is soft, it can cause some significant problems. The truck can begin to move due to unsteady grounds, posing a big risk for weight being distributed unevenly. This problem can result in the truck overturning.

How To Prevent Dump Truck Overturns

When you are operating a dump truck on a construction site, there are protocols and regulations that should be followed. These are put in place to keep people safe and unharmed as much as possible. There are always going to be accidents and incidents that happen, but hopefully, by following the rules, we can keep them to a bare minimum and very minor.

• Never dump a load on uneven grounds. Try to always make sure your dump truck is level on all 4 sides. If the time does come that you need to dump somewhere that isn’t, always dump the truck with the slope not against it.

• Inspection of your truck is a very important part of operating one. Before and after each load that is done, a visual inspection should be made of the dump truck. This way you can see any problems that might be occurring or a reason that an incident could possibly occur.

• Try to always dump away from busy roads or roads in general. There are many safety hazards to unloading a dump truck close to moving traffic and it is best to be a good distance away.

• When dumping the truck, always make sure all people are a safe distance away from the load that is being dumped. Whether a person is standing around, sitting in a car, or anything else, they should always be out of the direct line of the load.

• Make sure all grounds are stable and able to withstand the weight of the dump truck. When you dump your load weight is going to shift, and you need to make sure the ground you are on is going to withstand all the weight.

• Your truck should always be loaded to be as even as possible. When you load your materials, space things out and make them even on each side. This includes the front and back. When things are placed unevenly, you are at a greater risk of overturning the dump truck.

• When you are unloading the truck, you should always pay close attention to the evenness of the load as well. When materials come off unevenly, you are creating a situation that can result in the bed overturning.

Precautions of Operating A Dump Truck

Take the necessary precautions that you can when operating a dump truck. Every time you make a delivery of a load, do a walk around of the truck. This is going to keep you and everyone else around safe. Safety is always the number one thing when it comes to operating major machinery.

Safety Is Key

Safety is the number one thing that should be thought about when working on a construction site. Not only for yourself, but for those around you as well. Many fatalities and injuries happen due to proper regulations not being followed.

There are so many heavy pieces of machinery and vehicles being operated on a construction site. The rules that are put into place are there to keep everyone as safe as possible. It is important to remember to work together to protect one another and always be responsible.