Flatbed Trucking Industry Hazards

Over-the-road trucking is considered one of the most dangerous occupations of today. According to the United States Department of Labor, truck drivers experienced 12 percent fatalities in 2007, which accounts for the most deaths of any occupation. Two-thirds of that 12 percent were highway crashes. This accounts to losing three (3) professional truck drivers a day. Flatbed trucking is also highest in the rankings for most non-fatal injuries than any other area of work.

Truck drivers are high risk for road accidents due to increased driving times, driving at night, limited visibility, and bad weather or road conditions. Please have drivers checked regularly for sleep apnea, and make sure they are advised that if they do feel tired they should pull over to rest. Keeping hours in a log book is the best way to track time driven and when a break will be needed. All lights on truck and trailer should be inspected frequently so that if bad weather does arise, it will not present a problem for visibility.

Preventing injury and death can be as simple as proper usage of safety belts, airbags, daytime running lights, and safe driving. Drivers need to be knowledgeable of how to use the machinery/equipment they are operating, so companies that provide a comprehensive safety program for employees will ensure the well-being of their drivers. Injury is most common for professional truck drivers when outside the truck doing repairs, tarping, loading and offloading, climbing, and securing a load. Because of the injuries incurred on the job, they usually have long term effects such as back, leg, arm, and hand pain. Some of this is also attributed to long sitting times and vehicle vibrations. This could potentially make it difficult to perform their duties in the future.

Please follow these rules when loading/unloading your flatbed equipment:
1. Clear persons from loading zone during operations. Material and equipment can shift or break during load transfer.
2. Properly secure all flatbed loads on equipment, i.e. trucks, forklifts, and cranes. Equipment such as load bars, vertical support, straps and chains should be used to make sure the product arrives just as it departed.
3. Loaders and drivers must practice and be aware of hazard ID and all safety procedures. Regular re-training programs should be offered to employees often.
4. Implement a safety system to assure all people are clear of trailer/wheels before moving. Inspect the truck or trailer and surrounding area to make sure it is clear before moving equipment.

Flatbed companies must rely on their expertise to establish safety procedures and prevent injury. Seatbelt policies, passenger approval, background checks, accurate physical examinations, speed limit compliance, over-dimensional load training, complying to hours of service regulations, proper maintenance, and accurate log documentation are a few preventative methods. Incidents happen for many different reasons, but being aware and proactive can greatly reduce the chances.