Celebrating 15 Years of The Trucker® (…and Still Trucking!)

In 2014 Innovative Access Solutions (IAS®) is excited to celebrate 15 years of The Trucker® Series, made possible by a focus on safety and customer relationships. We would like to thank our loyal customer base for helping us achieve the goal of making The Trucker® an established and respected name in fall protection safety, and we invite you to contact the IAS® sales team to learn more.

 

The Trucker® Trailer Access

The Trucker® Series through the Years


September 1999
— The Trucker I 6900 flatbed trailer ladder introduced

2004: The original Cast Aluminum mounting hooks changed to CNC Billet Aluminum, an ‘unbreakable’ hook that added durability and improved safety to The Trucker I

2007: Roll Tarp Trucker was introduced, designed to provide access to Tarp Trailers

2007-2009: With the brand strengthened as a result of the ‘unbreakable’ mounting hooks and having developed several strong relationships with large established businesses, Trucker® began to take off.  Drop Deck Trucker was introduced and the four step ECO Trucker was developed and ANSI rated @ 375 lbs.

2010: The 4 Step Trucker ladder was created for access to crane trucks and taller trailers

2011: As The Trucker® grew, Storage and Mounting Options were developed

  • Ladder Storage Racks were developed in Upright and Shelf variations
  • The Utility Trucker was introduced as a mounted ladder option that pivots up 180⁰
  • A Steel Mounting Bracket was developed for mounting ladders without pockets

2011-2012: Mobile Flatbed Work Platforms with Safety Rails were engineered as a custom product request and became a standard product in use at several Construction, Transportation, and Manufacturing companies

  • October 2011: The 4’ Platform designed and ANSI rated at 3-Man (3000 lb.)
  • August 2012: 8’ Work Platform designed and ANSI rated at 3-Man (3000 lb.)

2013: All Trucker Series ladders were ANSI rated at 375 lbs. Type IAA Special Duty, the highest available Extra Heavy Duty rating for specialty ladders

2014: This year The Trucker® Series was granted an official trademark, new products are in development, and we are looking forward to 15 more years and beyond!

Today The Trucker® Series of ladders, storage racks and work platforms is capable of equipping most any truck fleet or stationary truck with fall protection equipment that is convenient, versatile and durable. This growth is in large part a result of relationships with customers that were willing to share their workplace access safety goals.

Celebrate with the 15 Years of Trucker® Promotion

Part of the power of customer relationships comes from a willingness to share the wealth and spread the word.  With that in mind, we are offering a 15% Discount off a single Trucker® Ladder or Storage Rack.  Simply apply the following Coupon Code prior to September 30, 2014 to join our celebration and save.

Apply COUPON CODE: 15YEARS at The Trucker® Online Store

ASSE Safety Conference 2014, June 8th-11th in Orlando, FL

The ASSE Safety Conference 2014 is set to kick off Sunday, June 8th at the Orange County Convention Center (West Building) in Orlando, Florida. The annual event features a complete set of seminars, roundtables, and events that only an organization such as ASSE can offer.  The conference schedule is packed with opportunities for industry members, students, executives and other interested parties to learn, network, and enjoy a weekend in sunny Florida. Scheduled sessions are categorized based on experience level to help attendees target events that best suit their skill level and knowledge.

Safety 2014 Conference Events & Seminars

Pre-Conference Safety Training Seminars for ASSE Safety Conference 2014 began on June 5th and continue through Sunday June 8th for those arriving early . Group Meetings for industry members occur in the early evening on Sunday and Monday to provide the opportunity to network and collaborate.  The events end on Wednesday June 11th, with the morning highlight being an Executive Summit at 9:15 AM.  Events are structured for a variety of personalities, including a Golf Outing on Sunday, NightOut at WonderWorks, WISE (Women in Safety Engineering) Retreat, and daily Wellness Walks.

ASSE Safety Conference 2014 Trip Planning

We encourage attendees to download the Safety 2014 App to plan your agenda, view maps and guides, take notes, and more.  Prospective attendees can register online and plan lodging and shuttles at the Safety 2014 website.  Registration fees include group discounts, member/non-member rates, and rates for attending only a portion of the event.  The ASSE Safety Conference 2014 customer service line is (847) 699-2929 and will be available until 5 PM Friday for last minute questions.  The Safety 2014 site also provides a convenient FAQ sitemap with answers and links to any foreseeable topic.

Visit IAS at Safety 2014 Booth #532

Visit IAS at ASSE Safety Conference 2014 at Booth #532IAS will be attending the ASSE Safety Conference 2014 and exhibiting The Trucker Series of Ladders.  Products available for exhibit will include Trucker LaddersWork Platforms, and Ladder Storage Racks.  We will have multiple representatives available to provide specifications and other details.  Our Custom Product Development manager will also be on hand to discuss any safety access needs you may have.  We hope to see you there!

Fall Prevention Through Design: A Case Study from ASSE

Putting safety first applies not only in day to day operations, but also in the planning stages of new projects, investments and expansions.  In 2012 ANSI/ASSE created a consensus standard to promote this mentality.  Prevention Through Design as a concept in work safety began in the 1940’s and today has gained enough momentum and regulatory support to provide several models that prove its effectiveness.  A recent article at ASSE.org charts the effectiveness of engineering safety controls in the design process while considering the defeatability of safety hazard risk.

The most effective controls include elimination, substitution and engineering solutions, each ideally suited to be planned in the design phase of new projects.  Doing so will provide safety, productivity, and cost benefits.  In fact, the cost of implementing fall prevention through design can be thousands of times less expensive than the same solution integrated post completion.  Compromised solutions are often less effective, leaving hazard risks and associated costs.

Fall Prevention Design Case Study

The ASSE article provides a case study from a petrochemical organization building a new offshore platform.  The company had experienced the challenges of implementing fall prevention after the design stage and instead chose to hire a fall protection consultant early on to assist the engineering design team.  The combined expertise resulted in fall prevention safety measures that focused on productivity and risk abatement.  The process consisted of the following steps.

  1. Kickoff Meeting with Design team
  2. Virtual Fall Hazard Risk Assessment
  3. Design Team Workshops
  4. Specification Binder for Hazard Abatements
  5. Follow-Through During Construction Process

The benefits of foreseeing and engineering fall prevention through design are long term: safety advantages, productivity gains, and ultimately lower costs.  The case study resulted in hazard risk controls addressing elevated platforms, floor openings, ladders, and stair guardrails, helping to prevent the need for PPE and optimize processes, equipment placement and usage.  Indirect long term benefits included ‘less equipment purchases, less training and fewer elements to manage.’

Innovative Access Fall Prevention Design

Contacting a consultant while engineering an offshore platform was effective for the company from the ASSE case study.  The consultant costs were compared favorably to erecting scaffolding, the cost of which would have been required to address just one of the safety risks post-completion.  Innovative Access Solutions is available to contribute similarly during the design or redesign stages at your organization.  IAS has worked with Fortune 500 companies as well as SMB businesses to design solutions that provide long term cost and productivity benefits and accomplish your safety goals.  IAS designs ladders, platforms and fall prevention equipment and has provided solutions for a range of industries.  For a brief review of our access solutions, visit us at IAScustom.com.  Or call (800) 388-6884 to schedule an appointment with our team.

OSHA Alliance and Fixed Ladders or Stairways for Fall Prevention

The OSHA Alliance Program is a cooperative effort to leverage resources related to safety initiatives, communication, and training.  OSHA Alliance includes ‘unions, consulates, trade or professional organizations, faith- and community-based organizations, businesses, and educational institutions’ that promote work safety and support OSHA’s strategic goals.  Alliance members must be committed to working closely with OSHA and establishing teams or individual workers to facilitate the cause, while maintaining and growing knowledge and a safe work environment.  In addition to internal safety benefits, Alliance members are able to maintain progressive dialogue with OSHA and other champions of work safety.  To learn more, contact your OSHA Regional Office.

OSHA Ladder Fall Prevention Campaign

One of OSHA’s ongoing strategic goals is to mitigate risks and increase knowledge regarding falls from ladders.  Fall incidents are the leading cause of deaths in construction and present a wide range of potential work hazards.  Considering the variability of material, application, and objective for ladders and stairs, it is not surprising that OSHA produces a significant amount of standards and guidelines for fall protection safety.  In addition to OSHA’s ongoing Ladder Fall Prevention Campaign, requirements and resources that support this cause are provided by specialized organizations such as ANSI and MSHA (Mining Ladder Safety).

OSHA Alliance Solution: Fixed Ladders or Stairways

The OSHA Alliance Program has produced a summary solution document as a resource for preventing falls from ladders in construction work environments.  This Construction Safety Design Solution recommends specifying fixed ladders or stairways early on to eliminate the hazards and risks associated with portable ladders and to ensure proper ladder or stairway specifications for access to upper levels.  The document also provides links to applicable OSHA regulations and ANSI standards for detailed information. Visit OSHA Alliance member Prevention through Design for more work safety resources.

Custom Fixed Ladder or Stairway Design

Innovative Access Solutions has been producing fixed ladders and stairways for construction, manufacturing, maritime, energy, and other industries for many years.

Fixed Access Staircase     Fixed Access Ladder

Information about how IAS can help support your work safety initiatives is available at IAScustom.com, or click the above images to browse our custom design gallery.

Mining Industry Ladder Safety

The MSHA (Mining Safety & Health Administration) recently published an excellent summary of ladder safety standards for the mining industry.  The MSHA was formed to ‘administer the provisions of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine Act).  MSHA carries out the mandates of the Mine Act at all mining and mineral processing operations in the United States, regardless of size, number of employees, commodity mined, or method of extraction.’

The published document covers all topics and categories related to ladder safety training, from the basics of safe access requirements, requirements for each ladder category and special circumstances such as alternating tread and underground ladders.  This blog post will summarize standards related to Fixed Ladders, Mobile Equipment Ladders, and the basics of Access Requirements, Ladder Construction and Maintenance. For complete access to this valuable MSHA resource, mining professionals are encouraged to download the Mining Ladder Safety Standards PDF.

Safe Access & Construction and Maintenance

The MSHA standards document provides a detailed summary of possible mining ladder safety citations complete with images of compliant and non-compliant ladders.  In addition to common sense factors such as the condition and strength of a ladder, factors such as the height of the bottom rung, the width of the ladder uprights, ladders that require workers to climb over obstructions to mount or unmount, and other potential fall hazards are described. In some cases personal fall protection equipment such as lanyards and harnesses may also be required.

Fixed Ladders

Fixed ladders have been assigned highly detailed requirements specific to the application.  In many cases, safety measures such as landings, backguards, and protection for openings at the upper level are required.  To review these complex standards, we recommend reviewing the Mining Ladder Safety Standards presentation for details.

Mobile Equipment Ladders

“Fixed mobile equipment ladders must comply with applicable fixed ladder standards such as 30 CFR §§ 56/57.11005 and 30 CFR §§ 56/57.11017.”

The details provided in the MSHA ladder standards document are extended to include even standards for mobile equipment ladders.  These ladders must be maintained the same as other ladders and when affixed to equipment, fall under the fixed ladder category.  The uniqueness of mobile equipment fixed ladders leads to certain exemptions and standards that may also apply to walkways that provide access to operator cabs.

For information about designing custom ladder access solutions for your mining facility, contact Innovative Access Solutions, LLC.

Mid-America Trucking Show, March 27th – 29th in Louisville

The 2014 Mid-America Trucking Show is set to kick off March 27th – March 29th at the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center in Louisville, KY.  The MATS show is the ‘largest annual heavy-duty trucking event in the world’, providing over 1.2 million square feet of exhibit space and exceeding 80,000 attendees.

For more information about the event , visit the MATS Trade Show website and stay up to date on Twitter or Facebook.  Already attending? Be sure to download the MATS Trade Show App on your mobile device and preview the Directory and Buyers Guide.

Important Information & Show Highlights

  • Get TicketsAttendees can register online for a $10 fee to expedite the entry process.  Tickets will also be available at the door. Each registration will allow one badge to be printed on-site; the badge is good for all three days of the show.
  • Register to Attend the Fleet Forum – The Fleet Forum will be held on March 26th.  Registration is still available.  Fleet Forum is a conference for executives and VIPs and will ‘provide an in-depth look at the future of equipment and trucking’.
  • Show Hours
    • Thursday 3/27: VIP Session: 10AM – 1PM | General Admission: 1PM – 6PM
    • Friday 3/28: General Admission: 10AM – 6PM
    • Saturday 3/29: General Admission: 9AM – 4PM
  • Truck Beauty Championship – The 25th annual PKY Truck Beauty Championship ‘celebrates North America’s heavy-duty, working show trucks’. Trucks will be on display in Lot J behind the West Wing with the award ceremony on Saturday March 29 at 10AM in South Wing conference rooms B101 – B103.
  • Listen to the Music – Gretchen Wilson and Chris Hennessee will be performing onsite at Freedom Hall on Friday, March 28 at 7PM. Complimentary tickets will be available at the Mobil Delvac Booth #18160 in the North Wing.

Visit Innovative Access Solutions, LLC

Innovative Access Solutions will be attending the MATS Trucking Show and exhibiting at Booth #16133 in the North Wing.  The IAS booth will be set up to exhibit The Trucker™ Series of Ladders.  Products available for exhibit will include The Trucker Series of Ladders, Flatbed Work Platforms, and Ladder Storage Racks.  We will have multiple representatives available to provide specifications and other details.  See you there!