Overturn of the bed of the truck or the entire truck it self is one of the major hazards for the operation of the truck. Trucks vary greatly in design. But the basic premise of the job they complete is universal. That is, dump trucks haul material and dump the material. Regardless of varying designs and uses of the trucks, many of the hazards of operation remain the same.

DUMP TRUCK INJURIES

Dump truck injuries including fatalities occur all too often. These are broken down to two categories; namely; when dump truck overturn and serious injuries or death can occur, and, secondly in a completely different category than loading and unloading material.

This latter category is set out as fellows.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) of the neck, back and upper extremities – These issues can be caused by loading or unloading the truck or lifting boxes, cartons, containers, garbage cans, tanks or bins. They can also arise when using vehicle dollies or loaders and working on vehicle tires.

Falls from elevations – These injuries can occur when making deliveries on upper floors, exiting the truck or stepping into holes at loading or unloading areas. The most common causes of injuries related to falls from elevations are knee and back sprains that occur when falling out of a vehicle.

Falls on the same level – Theses injuries can occur when lifting the latch on the back of the truck, putting on tire chains or unloading the truck.

Injuries due to being struck by or against objects – Workers can be struck by or against objects when lifting hitched trailers, opening containers and attaching trailers to trucks. The objects that a worker may hit or be hit by include vehicle parts, lift-gates, winch bars, pallet jacks, boxes or cartons or binders and chains.

Vehicle-related injuries – Workers may be hurt when they lose control of the vehicle or when they collide with another car.  Workers are at risk not only of getting hurt in a car accident but also of being rolled over by their own vehicle.

CAUSES OF OVERTURNED DUMP TRUCKS

There are many different causes or contributing factors for the entire truck or just the bed of the truck to overturn. The factors will depend on the worksite as well as the type of truck used. Some common causes of tip overs include:

• 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.
• Bed malfunction. All too often bed malfunctions lead to a tip over incident. One example is failure in the lift mechanisms. Another common example is a tailgate that does not open or unlatch. When this occurs and the operator or spotter does not catch it, the entire load shifts to the back of the bed and can cause the front of the truck to lift up and turn over.

PREVENT DUMP TRUCK OVERTURNS

By following the rules, we can keep overturns 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.
• 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.
• 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.

FINAL WORD

There are many different things that can go wrong that can lead to a tip over incident. It is necessary to follow every best practice and safeguard there is when hauling and dumping material in a dump truck. Avoiding complacency while operating these trucks can make the difference in preventing a tip over incident that could have led to a fatality.