The Trucker™ Series of Ladders Rated as ANSI Type IAA

The Trucker™ Series of ladders was recently tested and passed ANSI Type IAA Special Duty performance requirements.  ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard A14.7-2007 applies to portable metal ladders and provides duty ratings from 200 to 375 pound capacity.  Type IAA is the maximum 375 lb. duty rating, described as an Extra Heavy Duty Industrial Ladder.

The Trucker™ Series of ladders are safety engineered to reduce fall injuries and improve efficiency when accessing truck trailer decks.  The Trucker ladders provide dimpled Wide Grip Strut® plank steps, feature handrails that extend above the deck to provide 3 points of contact, and are engineered with a diagonal stairway design for ease of access.  The ladders meet and exceed the general requirements provided by OSHA for ladder safety:

When there is a break in elevation of 19 inches(48 cm) or more and no ramp, runway, embankment or personnel hoist is available, employers must provide a stairway or ladder at all worker points of access.
Source: Stairways & Ladders: A Guide to OSHA Rules

 

ANSI

ANSI A14.7-2007 Testing Procedures

The Trucker™ ladders underwent tests far exceeding the duty rating, passing test loads in excess of 1200 lbs. to meet the requirements of the 375 pound special duty rating.  Tests included In-Use Inclined Load Test, Step / Rung Bending Strength Tests, Side-to-Side-Rail Shear Strength Tests, Rung Torque Tests, and Handrail Tests.  With a durable design including CNC billet mounting hooks and extruded aluminum frame, The Trucker Series of Ladders offer the durability to provide mobile safety for truck fleets, stationary trailers, or individual truck drivers when accessing the trailer deck.

 

The Trucker Series of Ladders

The Trucker™ Series of Ladders

The Trucker™ ladders are designed to mount to a variety of flatbed trailers including drop deck, roll tarp, curtain side, and more.  The Trucker Series of ladders feature plank steps and a pivoting bottom step, and fold up compactly for storage and mobility.  Additional ANSI rated Trucker ladders include a shorter two step ladder and longer four step ladder, originally designed for crane trucks.  Mounting options include the standard CNC mounting hooks, for mounting throughout the stake rack, or steel brackets for more permanent ladder placement.

The Safety & Numbers blog is pleased to highlight The Trucker™ Series of ladders as a valuable equipment investment for businesses to improve work safety.  Trucker ladders provide features designed for the mobile truck driver or service fleet.  In addition to the compact design, lockable storage racks and accompanying flatbed work platforms can provide safety on and off the work site.

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century

The 2014 fiscal year marks the completion of MAP 21, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act.  The act provides funding for surface transportation programs and has been a landmark achievement for improvements in infrastructure and safety in the United States.

The Federal Highway Administration published an update to the status of MAP 21 activities in October  in preparation for the coming year.  MAP 21 is set to end in September 2014.  The following summary highlights the achievements of the program, with respect to topics relevant to highway construction, the trucking industry, and work zone safety.

  • Infrastructure
    • Program Guidance
      • National Highway Performance Program
      • Surface Transportation Program
      • Emergency Relief Program
      • Appalachian Development Highway System
      • Ferry boats
      • Territorial and Puerto Rico Highways
    • Guidance on infrastructure topics:
      • Asset management
      • National Highway System design standards
      • Construction management/general contractor contracting method
      • Buy America (including impact on utility relocations)
      • Stewardship and oversight
      • Collection of element-level bridge data
      • Interstate access justifications
    • Strategy, schedule, and outreach on performance management
    • Supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking on National Tunnel Inspection Standards
    • Guidance and notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on value engineering
  • Safety
    • Guidance on safety programs and related topics:
      • Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) eligibility and reporting
      • Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP)
      • High Risk Rural Roads
      • State safety data systems
      • Penalty transfer provisions
      • Older road users
      • Railway-highway crossings
  • Freight
    • Process for development of National Freight Network
    • Guidance on freight-related topics:
      • Higher Federal share for freight projects
      • State freight advisory committees and plans
    • Guidance and best practices re: special permits in emergencies

For a complete list of MAP 21 initiatives, visit the FHWA website at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/map21.

The Importance of Fall Protection in Construction: INFOGRAPHIC

The national initiative to improve fall protection measures has been a topic that we have touched on in various posts throughout 2013.  The statistics are eye opening: In 2012, Falls killed more than 1 construction worker every 2 days, and the trend continues to grow.  Have a look at our newest infographic to consider the need for Construction Fall Protection and get started implementing work safety policies to reduce your risk.

The Rent vs. Own Decision and Equipment Investment Safety ROI

In preparation for the 2014 budget, many companies are making strategic decisions related to equipment investment.  The decision often comes down to rent vs. own.  Determining whether a piece of equipment will support multiple projects, considering interest rates, and other basic factors aside, long-term risk and opportunity considerations are a critical decision making variable.  When making equipment investment decisions, market indicators and risk factors must be projected  in order to assess return on investment.  Work safety is an important risk factor to consider, but strategic decisions are based on a variety of factors.

One such factor is illustrated by Oil & Gas Industry growth.

“I never imagined when we acquired Beckwith Machinery in October of ’05 that oil and gas would become a significant contributor to our performance. We had no visibility to it even though the first oil well was drilled in Pennsylvania many years ago,” says Cleveland. “We certainly had no idea how big it would be for us. In the downturn of ’09 there was some talk about oil and gas. And then as 2010 rolled out, that’s what really brought us back from the doldrums. Pad development came on full force throughout 2010 and then a lot of drilling after that.

Source: Rental Equipment Register

Equipment companies in western and central Pennsylvania experienced a market shifting increase in rental demand in 2010 when the oil and gas fracking industry increased by 6 times. Shortly after the 2008 recession it was made public of a successful shale well drill that has placed the region at a level of production to rival Saudi Arabia.  Projections continue to grow for the region as the country seeks a more effective energy plan.

Market Factors Affect Investment Decision Making for Multiple Industry Players

Presented with increased rental service activity as new contractors entered the market, many rental companies invested in new equipment to meet demand.  Investing in drilling pads and related equipment allowed businesses such as Cleveland Brothers  to overcome the recession and claim new market share.

In this case, the Rent or Buy decision could be viewed from multiple perspectives: Rental companies were challenged with the risk and reward of buying equipment to service the growing industry.  Contractors new to the market or region were able to alleviate risk by renting equipment.  Other existing contractors such as heavy/highway construction were provided the opportunity to expand into the market.  The influx of oil and gas industry work also boosted the economy in other markets, such as infrastructure and hospitality, and increased the demand for related equipment such as light towers and work platforms.

Long-Term Strategic Factors and their Relationship to Work Safety

In addition to projected industry demand, long term strategic factors can include

  • Advantages of new equipment with respect to technology and regulations
  • Supply/demand and price points of rental equipment
  • Labor availability and expertise
  • Equipment maintenance and repair needs
  • Capability to apply internal resources for unique needs
  • Safety factors for aging equipment and as scale grows

Each of the above long-term strategic decision making factors can be applied to safety equipment investments.  New equipment is typically equipped with more current safety features, thus purchasing or renting newer equipment will often provide safety risk management ROI.  This will reduce the liability of lost worker time and the frequency of equipment repairs, freeing up resources for profit driving activities.  Overall, the rent vs. own decision will be based upon a variety of industry factors, but business owners and executives should also factor in safety to optimally assess the ROI decision.

Preventing Falls in Construction

Falls in construction are a well known cause of work injury.  A common misconception is that fall injuries are primarily of concern to individuals that work at heights.  This is not an accurate representation of the danger presented by slips, trips, and falls, even at minimal height.  In heavy and highway construction, also known as horizontal construction, falls account for approximately 25% of workers compensation claims.  These consist of falls from trucks, trailers, and construction equipment (45%); ladders, stairs, and scaffolding (20%); and walking or working surfaces (5%). Fortunately, a recent national focus on fall prevention has raised awareness of the issue and improved the quality of resources available to safety professionals.  Resources are published daily at sites like OSHA’s Stop Falls Initiative, CDC’s Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction, and StopConstructionFalls.com in support of this important work safety trend.

Source: Tennessee Road Builder Magazine

Falls from Trucks, Trailers, & Equipment

As a leading cause of injury in the workplace, the risk of falls from trucks, trailers, and equipment is an important hazard for which to mitigate risk.  Communicating the need to maintain three points of contact, wear proper footwear, and clean debris from ladders and steps is a good first step.  For many types of equipment, upgrading to access ladders that provide three points of contact and durable weight support can provide additional injury risk management.  United Rentals is one example of a company that has provided a Safety Best Practice document recommending all employees at their 800+ locations upgrade to the Trucker portable side truck mount ladder.  The Trucker ladder provides 3 points of contact, ANSI rated weight support, and slip resistant tread in a sturdy, lightweight design.

Indirect Costs from Fall Injuries

It is important to remember the indirect costs of work injuries when considering falls from minimal heights.  It is easy to take for granted the risk of a fall from a 4′ flatbed trailer, particularly under the stress of work timelines.  Nevertheless, while these may not always be a fatality risk, the consequences of a work injury extends far beyond broken bones and injury claims.  Individuals can suffer long term complications that affect their ability to work and your company’s ability to excel.  Even when injuries are minor, your company’s workers’ comp EMR (Experience Modifier Rate) is affected, causing insurance rates to go up and potentially limiting your ability to win valuable contracts.  Clearly, the national focus on construction fall protection is a worthy cause for the sake of workers and the industries that employ them.

SHARP Program Emphasizes Work Injury Prevention in the Trucking Industry

In Washington and across the country, the SHARP program is helping to bring awareness to trucking industry work injury risks, via the TIRES (Trucking Injury Reduction Emphasis) initiative.  SHARP (Safety & Health Assessment and Research for Prevention) is an established Washington State Department of Labor & Industries program focused on research and response to occupational safety and health issues across industries and disciplines.

With additional support from NIOSH, the TIRES program maintains a website and social media presence, provides training materials and reports, and conducts interviews and surveys with members of management and labor teams in industry.

The goal of the TIRES project is to reduce the incidence of:

  1. Non-traumatic musculoskeletal disorders of the neck, back and upper extremity.
  2. Slips, trips and falls.
  3. Injuries from getting struck by or against an object.

These conditions comprise 71% of the industry’s workers’ compensation claims, costs and lost workdays.

The trucking work injury prevention resources available at the TIRES website is a smorgasbord for safety professionals and industry members across the country.  The Washington Department of Labor & Industries also conveniently ties together reports and publications in an encyclopedia-like layout that provides everything you need to develop safety programs, research risk areas, and gather case studies for reporting.

To stay up to date, follow @TruckSafe on Twitter or visit the TIRES blog.  And as always, upgrade your trucking fall protection with a trucker ladder or flatbed work platform from Innovative Access Solutions.