FleetWatch Online - 50-Running a Righteous Rig

Vehicle fitness is the third crucial cornerstone of the ‘safety triangle’. It matters not how skilled a driver is if the rig he or she is driving is fitted with defective components. To ensure trucks run safely, daily checks of safety critical items need to be conducted, pre and post trip, as well as during the trip if it’s a long one. Paul Collings pinpoints the critical areas.

Preventative maintenance is imperative in any endeavour to reduce accidents and downtime. From a safety point of view, certain vehicle components need to be checked regularly for correct functionality and adjustment and wear and tear. Both technical staff and drivers need to be skilled in the correct checking/maintenance procedures and should be equipped with the right tools for the job.

A much-ignored safety critical item is the driver. How many transporters really listen to a driver reporting on a faulty safety critical item and immediately put the vehicle in for repair? Transporters need to respect the rights of the driver. If a truck has faulty safety critical components, it should not be on the road. Drivers need to be put in charge of monitoring the status of safety critical items and reporting to management on the status of each component.

Everyone’s favourite scapegoat. Whether it’s sudden air loss because a suzi coil burst or because of worn out brake shoes, accidents will continue if management/technicians and drivers do not conscientiously check brake system functionality and integrity.

Drivers need to test braking ability before setting out on a trip, making sure they are properly adjusted. They need to be taught how to determine whether or not the air system is operating as it should be and to understand what low air warning devices are there for. They should be made to stop and check brake adjustment before descending severe downgrades.

Tyre failure is another major cause of fatal accidents. Tyre pressure is often the cause of failure and needs to be checked on a daily basis. Blowouts are another big killer. As far as tyre integrity is concerned, management should have a sound tyre management programme in place.

Tread depth should be checked regularly to ensure compliance with DoT regulations. The fitment of tyres of different sizes should be strictly outlawed. Tyres with different tread wear should not be paired in duals either. Never mix bias and radial tyres on the same axle. Only retread casings that are undamaged.

Drivers need to do the following: On long trips, tyre inflation needs to be checked regularly, making sure it corresponds to the specified manufacturer pressure. Check for road damage and deterioration (tread or sidewall separation, cuts or gouges, flat spots or uneven wear, leaks, flat tyres at duals).

You’ve seen it happen on the Grand Prix circuit and you’ve seen it happen on the road: a runaway wheel and a naked hub kissing the tarmac. Wheel assemblies are often overlooked in day to day inspections and loose wheel nuts are an all too common ‘sword of Damocles’ on our roads. Management needs to monitor the situation more closely, urging drivers to check for cracks in wheels and rims, improperly seated lock rings, wheel nut tightness (no rust) and for any missing components.

Excessive steering wheel play is a sure sign of steering system deterioration and drivers should be made aware of it and log any signs of wear in their inspection report. Management needs to ensure that deterioration of the steering mechanism results in repair without delay.

Whether it’s king pins and fifth wheels or ball hitches and pintle hooks, if these components are not securely fitted, properly connected or are damaged in any way, truckers stand a very good chance of trailer separation occurring. Not a pretty sight in any one’s book.

Drivers need to adjust trailer height to minimise coupling impact, check conditions of kingpins and jaws and check that the jaws are locked after coupling. Make sure the landing gear is raised and connect air and electrical lines correctly. Make sure the adjustable trailer axle is locked and check to see that the kingpin is not riding on top of the 5th wheel jaws. Before driving off, apply the brakes and pull off gently against brakes to check that the coupling is secure.

For drawbar couplings, check for any wear and tear on the components and adjust the coupler if necessary. Ensure that the pintle hook or ball hitch is properly locked and that safety chains are properly connected. Make sure air and electrical lines are properly connected.

Head-rear and sideswipe collisions between trucks and cars are all too frequent, often a result of the length and lower maneuverability of trucks, or the fact that other drivers simply don’t see the truck. All the lights on the vehicle should be working properly and reflectors, chevrons and conspicuity markings should be in good condition and clean at all times.

Management should ensure that drivers have the necessary visibility devices to use when carrying unusual loads that project from the load body. Thought should be given to the choice of paint schemes used on vehicles that enhance conspicuity.

Drivers should exercise extreme caution in poor visibility conditions, be it rain, night, smoke or fog. The rule is: if you can’t see through it, don’t drive through it. (See story on Van Reenen accident in this issue.)

Lost payloads and shifting loads are both common causes of serious truck accidents. Loading and securing cargo is a science in itself, requiring skill and the right equipment. Management must ensure that overloading, poor load distribution and excessive load height are strictly avoided. Dispatchers and drivers need to know how to match cargo with vehicles. Drivers must be instructed how to deal with sealed cargoes (find out payload characteristics before pick-up) and have a good understanding of permissible axle loads and weight distribution. Knowing how certain loads shift and how rollovers occur will help drivers prevent accidents.

Load securing equipment must be of approved quality and drivers need to know how to use it properly. They should stop periodically to check that tie downs and bracing are still intact and that cargo has not shifted. When carrying heavy loads, reduce speed!

Dangerous Goods vehicles lead the way as far as safety is concerned and all other cargo movers should take a leaf out of their book as far as safety policies and procedures are concerned.

(Information used here courtesy of The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a US-based organisation focused on reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses.)