Like most oilfield jobs, dump trucking can be a very dangerous gig if not performed correctly. Don’t believe me? Do yourself a favor and type in the words “dump truck accidents” in the Google search box. Hell, I’ll even do it for you.
By looking at the results it doesn’t take a brainiac to see how damaging these accidents can really be. Dump trucks are getting bigger and bigger which means tipping accidents are more likely to occur. Combine this with other day to day hazards and the number of accidents these drivers encounter is suddenly not as shocking.
Today I wanted to write a short post to remind every worker who operates one of these trucks of some basic safety rules and regulations. I don’t care how long you’ve been operating one or how many loads you claimed to dumped in your career. It’s still beneficial to review some of these in order to prevent yourself from looking like an idiot, or worse, injuring yourself or another while on duty.
- Always, and I mean ALWAYS dump on a level service. Don’t use tired excuses by saying you’ve “dumped on way worse surfaces before”
- Never overload the the upper portion of the box.
- Check your tire pressure each and every day before operating your dump truck. Uneven tires can cause instability which leads to tipping accidents
- Always wear proper safety gear when on the oilfield at all times. Shoes, gloves, glasses and hard hats are a must when on the job
- Never dump when parked next to another vehicle. While the sight of seeing the domino effect happen in real life seems funny, it could be an extremely dangerous situation
- When backing up your dump truck, remember to keep your speed very slow. In fact, it should never be going faster
- than walking speed. Always make sure you have someone to guide you in turning and stopping.
- Remind other workers not to gather when the truck is dumping its load
- Be careful when driving in traffic. It’s easy to get distracted and lose focus of the road, especially after working a long shift
- If material is likely to flow irregularly, then lessen the load at the top of the box. Again, this reduces the likelihood of a tipping accident
- Always check overhead for electrical wires that may come into contact with the dump truck. The truck itself can act as a conductor and actually carry electrical currents
- Be aware of areas where it may be unsafe to dump such a sites with uneven surface areas or a fill that has not been properly compacted
This list should provide a pretty encompassing look at all the safety tips required to run a dump truck. If you didn’t get the chance to check it out, I also made a parody list called “The 10 Commandments of Dump Trucking” a while back. Hope you took something away from this article. Be safe on in the oilfields!