WHAT’S AT STAKE

Supply trucks are one of the most serious hazards in any facility that receives deliveries. A truck doesn’t have to be moving fast to cause a fatal injury. The problem is almost never speed — it’s not being seen.

WHAT’S THE DANGER

Trucks and pedestrians sharing the same space is a serious hazard no matter how experienced the driver is. Most incidents happen not because of recklessness, but because of blind spots, distractions, and assumptions.

Backing Up Without Warning

Trucks reversing in loading zones move slowly, but the consequences are fast. Beepers help, but they don’t replace your own awareness. Never walk behind a truck that is idling in a loading zone.

Blind Spots Are Bigger Than You Think

• A standard supply truck has blind spots directly in front, directly behind, and along both sides
• If you can’t see the driver’s face in their mirror, they cannot see you
• Being close to a truck does not mean being visible to the driver

Busy Loading Zone Chaos

• Multiple trucks, forklifts, and workers in the same small area create constant conflict points
• People are focused on tasks, not on traffic around them
• Rushed deliveries mean everyone’s attention is somewhere other than pedestrian safety

Poor Visibility Conditions

Rain, dust, glare, and early-morning or late-night deliveries all reduce how well drivers and pedestrians can see each other. These conditions demand extra caution, not the usual amount.

Distracted Pedestrians

Looking at a phone, carrying a load that blocks your sightlines, or moving quickly through a loading area while focused on a task — all of these reduce your awareness at exactly the wrong moment.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

In any area where trucks operate, your job is to be predictable, visible, and never where a truck might need to go.

Always Use the Marked Walkways

Pedestrian paths exist for a reason, they route you away from truck lanes and blind spot zones. Never cut through a loading area or across a truck lane to save a few steps. If there are no marked paths in your loading area, raise it with your supervisor. That’s a hazard that needs to be fixed, not worked around. A few extra steps every day is worth far more than one moment of not being seen.

Make Eye Contact Before You Move

• Before crossing behind or beside any truck, confirm the driver sees you, eye contact or a clear hand signal from them is the only confirmation that counts
• A backup beeper tells you the truck is moving, not that the driver knows where you are
• Never assume a slow-moving truck will stop for you, get clear, then wait for a signal

Build the Habit: Assume You’re Invisible

The single safest habit you can build around trucks is to assume the driver cannot see you because half the time, they can’t. Stay out of blind spot zones even when a truck is parked. Don’t linger near the sides or rear of an idling truck. Give every truck more space than you think it needs. This habit costs you nothing and protects you every shift.

Get Clear Fast If a Truck Starts Moving

• If a truck near you begins to move and you’re not sure the driver sees you, step away from its path immediately
• Don’t wave it down or try to signal the driver to stop, just get yourself to a safe zone first
• Once you’re clear, you can alert the driver or a supervisor if needed

Stay Off Your Phone in Loading Areas

This one is simple: no phone in or near active truck zones. Not a quick text, not a glance at a notification. The second your eyes go to a screen in a loading area is the second you stop seeing what’s moving around you. Put it away before you enter the zone and get it back out when you’re clear.

FINAL WORD

Trucks don’t have bad intentions they just have bad visibility. Your best protection is your own awareness and your commitment to never assume you’ve been seen. Stay visible, stay out of the way, and go home in one piece.

 

 

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