Slipping and Sliding
 Guy Ramsey |
June 2, 2004 - An associate of mine called me the other day to share a recent near-tragic experience. A few weeks ago one of his experienced delivery drivers had sustained minor injuries while trying to deliver a 60-foot boom lift on the first rainy day in quite awhile.
The delivery was made with the same truck and trailer he had been driving for several years. The trailer was equipped with a traditional beaver-tail ramp, and the deck was made of a combination of wood and steel. The only place available to unload at the job site was along the side of the road where a minor slope is graded to enhance drainage. This meant that the trailer was tilted to the side a little, which under dry conditions, wouldn't have been as big a problem.
As the delivery man began to drive the 8'2" wide aerial lift down the 8'6" wide trailer tail, the machine began to slide-not just down the ramp, but off to the side, as well. The driver's reaction was to put the machine in reverse. For people used to driving on snow or ice, you know that once the wheels start spinning, steering in the opposite direction of the slide only compounds the problem. So in a matter of seconds, this driver and the boom lift went off the side of the trailer. As the unit slid laterally, it also continued down the ramp, and it came to rest with two tires on the ground and two still on the ramp with the unit high-centered on the edge of the trailer.
So what happened? Oil and water don't mix. Over a period of months, an incredible amount of hydraulic oil and other residue can build up on the deck of a transport trailer. The addition of rainwater essentially created an ice skating rink on the trailer's surface. Now try driving a 25,000-pound piece of equipment down that slip-n-slide!
Although the driver wasn't using a winch, I don't think it would have prevented the slide sideways. The simplest way to prevent this type of accident is to add "washing and degreasing" to your list of preventative maintenance duties. If you own a delivery truck with either a hydraulic beaver-tail ramp or a roll-back truck, which has an even steeper incline, you'll be doing yourself and your employee a favor.
Additionally, drivers should always find a level spot to load and unload equipment-even when the sun is shining.
And, finally, no matter how big a hassle it is to use a winch on deliveries, this ought to be a mandatory requirement.
An added observation: The driver was wearing fall protection gear. When he realized the unit was going over the side, he considered jumping out of the platform. The lanyard prevented this course of action, and, in retrospect, it appears that riding this one out produced the best result.
