Garbage Truck Safety Regulations And Tips
If you are in the waste removal business or plan to start one, aside from selecting the right garbage trucks for sale in terms of model and make, being in compliance with state safety regulations and implementing safety measures is important.
In our surrounding, we usually see five types of garbage trucks for sale - grapple trucks, side loaders, pneumatic collection trucks, front loader and rear loaders. Each type has special features, thus special (different) use. These are powerful heavy-duty machines, thus maximum safety when operating with them should be indeed provided.
According to the statistics, there is an increased number of injuries and deaths related to operating with or near garbage trucks. Most common scenarios are workers falling from or being struck by a garbage truck. For this reason, government makes efforts to raise worker's awareness in order to prevent such situations and minimize number of garbage truck related injuries.
Safety Regulations And Standards:
- Workers have to ride only on the truck's riding steps especially designed for riding.
- Workers have to ensure that there are no riders using the truck's riding steps when the vehicle is backing, exceeding 16 kilometers per hour or traveling more than 0.3 kilometers.
- Workers have to ensure that there are no riders on the loading sills or in hoppers.
When it comes to the garbage truck's regulations, read the following:
- Truck's riding steps should provide a slip-resistant and self-cleaning surface.
- Truck's riding steps should be capable of withstanding at least 226 kg.
- Grab handles capable of withstanding a 226 kg pull should be provided along with the riding steps.
- Warning signs should be placed above the truck's riding steps to forbid their use when backing or traveling at speeds above 16 kilometers per hour.
- The truck should be equipped with an audible-warning device that activates each time the truck is operated in reverse.
In order to ensure maximum safety for the workers operating with/on garbage trucks, they should also wear highly-visible clothes, so they can be easily located by the garbage truck' s operator (driver). Normally, the Australian Workplace Safety Standards require wearing reflective clothing.