Safe Trailer Unloading

[ozscott]

Hi all,

Can anyone point me to any Advisory Standards, safety bulletins, work safe analysis docs, job advisory standards etc for the safe unloading of a trailer - specifically a dual axle trailer unloading say a tractor, earthmover etc (trailer that attaches to a car). Something that points out trailer tilting risks taking weight of the braking axles of the trailer and tow vehicle, the use of stands at the rear, the use of a tilt trailer etc.

Much appreciated.

Cheers

[finga]

Sounds like a job :(
OH&S guys should be able to direct that one pretty quickly.

[Shawn 66]

Have a gander at this site:http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/index.htm
It lists all the Codes of Practice , Act and Regs.
Cheers ,
Shawn

[ozscott]

Thanks FT - I had a look at that before posting because the search engine is pretty poor and returns a lot of results for unloading. There might well be someone on here who can point me straight to it.

The general plant one 2005 does not seem to be of help.

Cheers

[aussiefool]

You could just unload it early morning before anyone shows up.

[ozscott]

:) .........

Cheers

[cormorant]

If this is a work thing have a look at the old coroners reports and at the comcare insurance as they force self insured companies like toll /ipec / tnt into "undertakings". A lot will be Aussie standards and there will be extra stuff relevant to QLD. The appendix referrs to all elevant AS for failure point if it was mechanical or procedural if it was OH2S compliace that caused the death.

Search under plant and machinery and you will find many council forms on procedure and OH&S regarding physical procedures, responsibilitya nd also load safety areas, where to stand , etc etc. There will be some generics for farmers working with machinery as well.

[Raesen]

I don't believe there is a special Code of Practice or Aust Standard for the PROCESS of unloading an item of plant from a trailer, truck, vehicle or other transporting.

However there are Aust standards for trailers and items of plant as those before have said and I"m sure you are aware of.

The main issues that I see for you would be

1. Check with the manufacturere of the trailer (transporting vehicle) to see that it has been engineers vertified to accommodate the practice of unloading. If the trailer is home made ?? you would need to have a structural Eng inspect the trailer and certify unloading capability i.e. suitable for a machine weight of 6 tonne or whatever for unloading purposes or even perhaps type of vehicle that can be unloaded rubber wheel bobcat to a track type piece of equipment.

2. Any ramps used to unload would be as above - load rating and attachment to trailer during unloading process certified by the manaufacturer and once again if home made you would/should get an Engineer to certify ramps and attacment points.

3. If you went to a construction site you also may be asked for work method statements, certification details and so on. Probably a good thing to have where ever you go incase but also probably not asked for by private sector generally.

I mention a good thing to have because if something went wrong during the unloading process and Gov Inspectors became involved documentation and safe work procedures is something they would certainly look for during an investigation.

Note; Some people who transport and unload plant from the transporter have set up vertical "jacking legs" at the rear of the trailer to assist in supporting the rear section of the trailer. Once again these would need to be Eng certified for loads imposed by the machine.

Mate I work in the field of OH&S as a consultant to industry. PM me if you wish and I will pass on my mobile number if you wish to talk about this further.

Cheers
Pete

[ozscott]

Note; Some people who transport and unload plant from the transporter have set up vertical "jacking legs" at the rear of the trailer to assist in supporting the rear section of the trailer. Once again these would need to be Eng certified for loads imposed by the machine.



Cheers
Pete

Thanks very much Gents.

Pete - that point you make is one that seems to be neglected by some employers. Its all good until you try to unload on a slope....then I have seen instances when the trailer canter levers taking load off the leading axle (with brakes) and the rear of the tow vehicle (its brakes if like most things save for Land Rover (drive train hand brake) its a rear brake only hand brake) causing no braking wheels to have traction or sufficient traction with the ground...bad day out when it all rolls away.

Thanks for the offer Pete. I will let you know.

Cheers fellas

[Sea-Dog]

What about self-supporting ramps?

[GBC]

The plant trailers we use have built in legs in the ramp. The whole show has to be parked nice and straight otherwise you won't even get the ramps down to unload.
For a trailer hitch to put such uplift on a towball to lift the axle of the tow vehicle - something is under specced.

[testlab]

We used to transport plant to carve runways out of god-awful places in Africa and parts of Asia. Every type of trailer or float had its own safe working insturctions or we had to write our own so we could get insurance... this wasn't my area and I don't have access to the manuals anymore.

I do know that floats are far safer due to the hitch being in front of the rear axle of the prime mover. Hence the load bearing capacity of the rear axles of the mover stabilises everything. Along with the brakes being discharged prior to the float ramps being deployed (I think they were interlocked - ramps down = brakes on)

When unloading small excavators the towable trailers had jack stands built into all four corners and all wheels had aviation style chocks. The manual over-ride brakes were applied and there was a slope limit but I don't know what it was.

That's the limit of my knowledge as I never really paid other than idle atttention to the process.

[Bros]

I'd be much more worried about loading than unloading. If you load one incorrectly and charge on down the highway don't forget to take a clean pair of undies as you will need them.