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It doesn't look too dramatic but count the individual losses encompassed in this accident and it becomes extremely serious. |
Counting the cost
The photograph
above shows what happens when trailer couplings fail in service. Fortunately, no lives were lost in this on-the-road failure which was photographed for FleetWatch by Hilton Cathcart of IMS.
So why the fuss? After all, it doesn't look so dramatic. Well, that may be true - until, of course, you add up the expense and productivity losses which accrued from the incident. It then becomes a monumental loss.
Work it out for yourself by filling in the values alongside the actual cost incidents listed in the accompanying table by our technical correspondent Dave Scott.
The point we're making here is that whatever the cause of the failure, it could have been avoided through correct maintenance, use of high quality parts, trailer couplings with correct D-values, training of staff and other preventative measures.
And please note in the photograph that the Armco barrier saved the trailer and container from toppling down an embankment. If the barrier were not there, the loss could have been total. It is just not worth taking a chance with trailer couplings!
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Trailer damage and repairs: |
R xxxxx,xx |
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Damage to prime mover when trailer uncoupled on the road: |
R
xxxxx,xx |
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Hire of mobile crane to lift loaded container onto rescue vehicle: |
R
xxxxx,xx |
|
Call out for emergency cutting equipment damaged twist-locks: |
R
xxxxx,xx |
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Replacement of twist-locks: |
R
xxxxx,xx |
Damage to goods in container:
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R
xxxxx,xx |
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Turnover days lost in call out of mobile crane & cutting
equipment: |
R
xxxxx,xx |
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Administration costs/insurance excesses and claims: |
R
xxxxx,xx |
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Idle staff wandering around the wreck for two days: |
R
xxxxx,xx |
Customer dissatisfaction and delays:
|
R
xxxxx,xx |
Total of monumental disaster:
|
R
xxxxx,xx |
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Total
of monumental disaster |
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