Without a doubt, having a tip truck owner operator income protection insurance can be a great help in times of financial upheavals brought on by an illness and more-so by accidents. It is important to remember that driving heavy machinery like a tipper truck is not without risk. Aside from road collision, operating this type of truck is considered high-risk to the untrained and inexperienced. Accidents, as we all know, are caused by human error. The good thing is that these errors can be avoided.
Understanding Tipper Truck Risks
Being prepared for any untoward incident can be covered by a comprehensive income protection insurance. Not paying attention to safe practices, however, is a foolhardy move. Tipper operators must not only undergo appropriate training on how to handle the machinery they’re driving but also on how to handle various aspects of the operation in adherence to safety systems. Studies have revealed that most accidents involving tipper truck operations are offshoots of either inadequate training or failure to understand and apply safe work practices.
Tipping accidents often result in extensive damage. Two common accidents resulting in utter devastation is when the truck rolls sideways or even hit by an overhead blockage. Both scenarios result in vehicle casualty or damage to surrounding property. Collision, though rarely occurring on project sites, can also happen while on the road– and this can be detrimental to a driver-operator’s life or, in some cases, fatal.
Preventive Techniques
A band-aid repair technique is a common pitfall among many small-scale heavy equipment operators. They do not invest in preventive maintenance in the hope of saving costs. Too late do they realize that addressing problems before they happen can actually reduce unnecessary costly repairs or maintenance issues. Preventive maintenance is also noted to increase machine life expectancy. Instead of waiting for major repairs to be needed, routine inspections and minor repairs are better undertaken to prevent such from happening. With this, creating a standard inspection sheet must be done to keep track of such preventive mechanisms that are in place.
Specialist training must also be regularly updated. Many tipper truck operators have outdated training on the operational aspect of certain vehicles. Some of them may only have experience from previous jobs and no longer brush up on their skills. Safety system management must also be rolled out on a regular basis. This sometimes falls on the responsibility of the company who contracts the services of a tipper truck owner-operator.
Loading Safety
Different companies employ equally different loading methods. Loading site conditions can also vary. These two aspects must also be carefully considered when operating a tipper truck. Some construction or mining sites usually have weighbridges to prevent overloading and washing facilities to prevent unsafe travel conditions. When there’s none, accessing these is often placed on a driver-operator’s shoulder.
Another critical aspect in loading safety is understanding risks of material being loaded. Wet or sticky loads may move differently during tipping. It may unexpectedly move on one side destabilizing the truck’s balance mechanism resulting in rollover accidents to the detriment of not just the truck and the driver but the general public as well. By knowing precisely how to evenly distribute such loads on the truck such a disaster can be prevented from happening.
Overall, the role of safety in operating tipper trucks on the road or during loading operations play a critical role in mitigating risks. One needs to invest in sound preventive maintenance, retraining courses, and safe work practices vis-a-vis the kind of working environment one is engaged upon. Of course, never discount the possibility of falling ill or being involved in an accident even with all safety precautions in place. With this, it is also a must to obtain a dependable tip truck owner operator income protection insurance. Need help getting one? Call our hotline or request for an online quote now