Of all the driving maneuvers, backing can be one of the most difficult and dangerous. The greatest danger of backing is a lack of visibility. Even with properly adjusted mirrors, many times it is impossible to see everything that you are backing towards.
If you are working in a jobsite or a busy loading dock, there is a high likelihood that you could run over a distracted worker or pedestrian. But that does not have to be the case. By installing a backup camera or backup alarm on your vehicle, you can either see the dangers behind you or warn them to step aside.
Backup Camera
The main benefit of a backup camera is that it allows you to see what you could not see before. Whether that is a post of a building, a wall, or a bystander, the backup camera allows you to see trouble and avoid it. However, the main disadvantage of a backup camera is that it does not work for tractor-trailer combinations in most cases.
Since the trailer is a separate unit, connecting the trailer's backup camera to the tractor's in-cab screen would prove challenging. In these situations, a different piece of backup warning system is most effective: the backup alarm.
Backup Alarm
Unlike the backup camera, the backup alarm works with both truck and trailer by emitting a loud, beeping sound to warn people that the vehicle is moving in reverse. The backup alarm automatically activates as soon as the vehicle is in reverse and does not cease until the vehicle is in a forward gear or neutral.
Backup alarms are common on tow trucks, ambulances, and some service vehicles, but including one on your truck tractor is probably a good idea also.
Safety is simple, but it is a way of life. If safety is only considered when the safety inspector is present, accidents are bound to happen. Be safe on America's highways.
In seconds, a traffic accident on the highway can damage
your reputation, vehicle, and career. And if the driver who caused the trucking
crash files a lawsuit, you could owe thousands of dollars over your repair
costs. Thankfully, there is a solution: the dash camera.
In an 18 wheeler accident, a GPS HD camera can provide video
evidence of the time before, during, and after the crash, thereby tipping the
scales of justice in your favor. Reliable Eyewitness is
your source for quality HD dash cameras.
With satellite-measured vehicle speed and GPS coordinates,
crisp sound, and clear 1080P HD video morning and night, the GSE550
dashcam provides peace of mind for $298. The GSE550 also features up to 64
gigabytes of memory, 120 degree field of view, and 30 or 60 fps. The V660
V2 offers 720P video, night mode, and up to 32 GB of memory for $162.
Safety is more than wheel chocks, hard hats, and earplugs. Safety comprises how we work, play, and live. As a truck driver, you probably have to lift something almost everyday. If done improperly, lifting can put a strain on your back and prevent you from carrying out your duties.
There are two solutions to this problem, but each attacks a different facet of the problem. The first solution deals with carrying packages long distances, and the second solution addresses lifting heavy objects for any reason or distance.
Solution One: The Back Support
Back supports help you maintain back straightness while you bend over to pick up an object. Although a back support does not prevent injury completely, with proper posture and a back support, your chances of back injury are limited severely.
Solution Two: The Folding Dolly
Folding dollies are the perfect solution for drivers like you. With a small, lightweight design that can fit in your cab, under your sleeper bunk, or in a toolbox, folding dollies can help you cart around hundreds of pounds without having to lift them yourself. The folding dollies featured above are part of a series featuring models with small, medium, and heavy-duty capacities up to 500 pounds.
So whether you choose to use a folding dolly or carry the weight yourself with a back support, safely lifting heavy or light objects is the smart thing to do. Safety is a lifestyle. Make lifting safely a part of your routine today.
Safety is more than a behavior. It is a lifestyle. One of the most dangerous parts of your job is a trucker is loading and unloading. In the loading zone, hundreds of injuries and thousands of accidents occur each year. To prevent many of these accidents, you can invest in inexpensive safety gear that will squelch these problems for good.
Two of the main problems at loading docks are moving trailers and shifting loads. When trailers move from the edge of the dock, forklift operators can literally fall between the dock and the trailer. A simple fix for this problem is none other than wheel chocks. When used properly, the following wheel chock will make sure that your trailer does not move during the loading process.
However, problems with loading are not confined to the dock. Many loads shift in transit, causing the vehicle's center of gravity to become misaligned. This can cause a wide range of problems from tire damage to rollover accidents. But as with runaway trailers, a simple solution can resolve this entire problem.
Load locks contain your load to a confined area within your trailer, giving you confidence that the load will remain where it was placed. Considering the hazards they prevent, cargo locks and load bars have inestimable value, and, with their strong construction, they can resist the stresses and strains that life throws at them.
If you drive in big game country, you know that it is only a matter of time before one of these beasts crosses your path. To ward off the threat of mammalian mayhem, you should purchase a bullbar, deer guard, cowcatcher, or similar product. Simply stated, these bumpers keep a deer, elk, moose, bear, or bison from damaging your radiator, hood, front axle, lights, and other parts of your truck.
Several companies produce these bumpers, and we will look at each momentarily.
Herd.
From its headquarters in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Herd produces a wide range of bullbars for a large number of trucks. Herd produces bullbars for pickup trucks, passenger vans, and heavy trucks. Whether you own a Peterbilt 379 or a Caterpillar CT660, a Ford F-150 or a Chevrolet Express, Herd has a bullbar for you.
Visit their website at herd.com to see their products firsthand.
Alsofrom the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Ali Arc produces its own line of quality aluminum bullbars.With products for every vehicle from light-duty pickups to full size big rigs, Ali Arc provides stiff competition to its neighborly rival, Herd. Ali Arc also manufactures other aluminum products to complete its product line.
Located in British Columbia, Magnum Trailer produces a popular assortment of bullbars. With models for all the popular truck brands and makes, Magnum Trailer offers an alternative to the Herd and Ali Arc's dominance. In addition to its bullbars, Magnum Trailer produces semi-trailers, a full assortment of cab protectors, toolboxes, chain hangers, and other aluminum accessories for your truck.
Another of Manitoba's fine selection of bullbar manufacturers is Bison Grille Guards. Bison produces a selection of products for heavy trucks only. As with the other bullbar producers, the products from Bison Grille Guards will protect your truck from damage should an animal cross your path.
From the land of Ontario, Mik Mak Fabrications produces a wide assortment of bullbars and other truck products. From cabguards and truck sleepers to service truck bodies and bullbars, Mik Mak Fabrications makes them all.
One of the few companies to manufacture their bullbars from steel is Bandit Bar. With their unique guard design, Bandit Bar products stand apart from the crowd and provide protection in difficult environments. Bandit Bar is also stands alone as the only major bullbar manufacturer from Alberta. Bandit Bar produces bullbars for heavy and light trucks in addition to their tire chain racks.
If you are looking for a smaller, lighter product to deflect smaller animals such as deer, wolves, or pronghorns, you may want to consider a tube bumper. Like a bullbar, these products provide protection against front-end impact, but, unlike a bullbar, these products mount to your existing bumper, not replace it.
A few companies that produce these are the following:
