How A Trucking Company Improved Flatbed Truck Fall Prevention

Slips and falls are not the primary cause of fatal work-related injuries in the United States, but they are the most common reason employees lose days from work. Injuries caused by slips and falls are also the leading reason employees claim workers’ compensation, especially in the trucking industry.

One trucking company decided it was time to enhance its flatbed truck fall prevention measures in order to protect workers. Discover how the company decided on safe access platforms as a safety solution.

The Problem:

Workers Were Not Able To Safely Tie Down Loads On Flatbed Trucks

Gerdau Ameristeel in Petersburg, Virginia needed better flatbed truck fall prevention equipment to improve worker safety for the company’s truck drivers.

Drivers were putting themselves at risk as they tied down their loads. The potential for injury was high because drivers had no way to access their flatbed trucks other than climbing up on them.

The Solution:

Access Platforms As An Alternative To Climbing On Trucks

One of the trucking company’s engineers found an animated drawing of Carbis Solutions’ flatbed access platforms. Gerdau Ameristeel called Carbis Solutions, and a Carbis consultant visited the work site.

The consultant gathered the information required to create an adequate safety solution. Meanwhile, Gerdau Ameristeel was on a strict schedule. The equipment needed to be designed, engineered and formulated quickly, and the shipping dates were critical. Carbis Solutions and the trucking company agreed to a timeline for the production of safe access platforms.

The Result:

Improved Worker Safety And Job Satisfaction

Both the design drawings and completed truck fall prevention equipment went out on time, and Gerdau Ameristeel was able to install the access platforms by the end of the year.

The truck drivers are extremely pleased with how easy the systems are to use and how safe they feel while tying down their loads. The company is now interested in using more of these units to solve a similar problem they have elsewhere on their work site.