Highway Construction & Traffic Safety - The Safety & Numbers work safety blog

What We Found: Slip & Fall Safety Infographics from CCOHS

We at the Safety & Numbers blog hope you enjoyed the holidays and are looking forward to new opportunities in the year ahead. Having successfully maneuvered our way through various work safety topics throughout the year, starting with Workers Comp EMR Rate calculations and culminating with a Guide to Budgeting for Work Injury Prevention, we are excited to cap off the year with a recent Eureka! moment.

What is that Eureka moment, you may ask? We at the Safety & Numbers blog are remarkably capable at sifting through the Internet muck to find diamonds in the rough. So why spend all of our time writing detailed blog posts based on information that we find? Instead, we are going to devote posts to sharing valuable information created at other online resource hubs. After all, we are ultimately here to provide what we think will help you make your own decisions, not simply craft the answers that you expect to find. So if you have come across our What We Found post for December 29, 2014, we hope you will consider the following resources without reservation or bias.

Slip and Fall Safety Infographics

Infographics are one of those great yet frustrating things about the Internet. If well done, they simplify information delivery and provide raw data that genuinely helps with decision making. Still, they are designed with an agenda in mind, or why would they be created to begin with? Here are a few infographics that we found on the CCOHS board at Pinterest that we thought worth sharing.

Preventing Slips & Falls from Canada’s CCOHS

One thing I’ve learned from searching the web is that Canada’s online resources are almost always helpful and simplified compared to many of the sales oriented models that are popular today. Here is an CCOHS infographic (Canada’s equivalent of OSHA) that provides some of the most direct methods to avoid slips, trips and falls in the work place. Just don’t Blame Canada if they’re not what you’re looking for, eh.

Most Dangerous Industries for Work Injuries

This Safety First infographic is remarkably well-designed and informative, particularly considering it is sponsored by an insurance agency. I found the most interesting portion to be the Top 5 Most Dangerous Industries. Police Officers and Semi-Trailer Truck Drivers make sense, but Janitors and Nurses? Just goes to show that not all injury risks are easy to identify with the naked … er, mind.

OSHA’s Affect on USA Workplace Injuries

OSHA has been around for over 40 years, and while we all probably realize the value they provide to our collective well being, we may also question its overall benefit from time to time. Here is an infographic that provides information about worker injuries before and after OSHA. While it’s clear that workplace injuries and fatalities have dropped significantly since OSHA was created in 1970, the question that comes to mind is ‘Are we optimizing the effectiveness of work safety programs?’

A Smorgasbord of Training! Call NOW!!

We are impressed with the number and variety of resources available at many of the online training sites we have found. Just not impressed enough to provide credit card information for a ‘free’ trial. If you’re a little wary of the similarity between Internet credit card gathering schemes and the miraculous infomercial trends from the 80’s, we invite you to call IAS® at (800) 388-6884 to provide us with the opportunity to help reduce slip and fall safety risks at your workplace.

Attenuator Trucks for Highway Work Zone Safety

Attenuator trucks are highway safety vehicles equipped with an impact attenuating crash cushion for the purpose of reducing the risks resulting from crashes in construction work zones. These specialized vehicles are often required for government highway contracts to improve safety and reduce work zone fatalities.

The truck mounted attenuator, or TMA, is a crash cushion that is specifically designed to attach to a vehicle such as a snow plow, road construction vehicle or maintenance truck, in order to absorb kinetic energy if struck by a motorist. Not only do attenuator trucks save lives by absorbing the impact of a crash, they also reduce debris hazards after impact to improve traffic flow and reduce the risk to passing motorists.

TMAs are tested by the federal highway association for effectiveness and speed ratings. When mounted to road construction vehicles, TMA attenuators are subject to weight requirements and must be positioned at adequate distance to ensure the safety of workers and equipment in the event of a crash.

Attenuator Truck Equipment and Options

There are various types of truck mounted attenuators including tiltable or foldable options and trailer mounted attenuators. Tiltable options such as Trinity Industries’ MPS-350 are designed so that the attenuator will pivot up or down to engage or disengage the attenuating crash cushion. Foldable options such as the Safe Stop 180 will fold in half so that the attenuator is stacked on itself when disengaged. Trailer mounted varieties do not pivot or tilt and are always engaged when attached to a truck.

Road construction attenuator trucks typically have a bed for transporting equipment and an arrowboard or message board to instruct drivers of traffic conditions. Many other equipment options may be necessitated by the environment and conditions including strobe lighting for driver awareness, work lights for night visibility, and equipment racks.

Review a summary of attenuator truck options and equipment.

Comparing Flatbed Access Platforms for Fall Protection

Safety & Numbers blog sponsor Innovative Access Solutions, LLC produces portable flatbed truck access platforms for fall protection safety. The IAS platform is a new and innovative approach compared to other available flatbed fall protection options. With this in mind we are happy to help promote and review the advantages of a lightweight, portable platform as compared to bulky traditional wheeled systems.

Advantages of a Portable Flatbed Access Platform

As mentioned above, the IAS flatbed access platform is an innovative approach to fall protection for loading/unloading, tarping, and maneuvering around flatbed trailers. The platform is composed of lightweight aluminum and equipped with CNC billet mounting hooks, making it ideal for fall protection at offsite locations, on stationary trailers, and where space is limited or time is of the essence. The IAS flatbed access platform is ANSI rated to 3 man / 3,000 lbs making it versatile and durable. IAS platforms also provide a safety rail that is easily removable for convenient stow away and mobility. The IAS flatbed access platform is standard at lengths of 4′ and 8′ and can be customized to meet specialized requirements.

Compared to Traditional Flatbed Platform Systems

The majority of available flatbed access platform systems are wheeled or rolling platforms. These systems are ideal in certain applications. Truck fleets with high shipping volume, available space at their facility, and a sizable work force will appreciate the traditional wheeled flatbed access platform system. These systems typically provide space for a truck trailer to pull in between two parallel platforms which sandwich together on each side of the trailer deck. Traditional systems are generally expensive and less flexible.

Choosing the Best Fall Protection Option

When deciding on the best fall protection flatbed access platform for your company’s needs, we recommend considering available capital/workforce, the importance of mobility, and whether a bulky wheeled system will suit your needs. The IAS flatbed access platform is mobile and portable, preventing the need to have a system consuming space at each site. Being lightweight and modular, it is also easier to mount at any location and with fewer available workers. And the IAS flatbed access platform is ideal for specialized applications such as stationary flatbed trailers, contractor truck fleets, and industries including construction, mining and energy.

Choose the 4′ Work Platform with Safety Rail or 8′ Work Platform with Safety Rail

Whichever flatbed access platform you choose, always remember the importance of fall protection risk management even at limited heights. Investing in basic fall protection safety equipment such as a flatbed trailer work platform will ultimately save money and hardship in the long run when compared to workers comp claims, lost worker time, and indirect work injury costs.

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® 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

National Work Zone Awareness Week 2014 Promotes Highway Construction Work Zone Safety

Today marks the beginning of National Work Zone Awareness Week 2014. In an effort to reduce accidents, injuries and deaths in highway construction work zones, the American Traffic Safety Services Association designates a week at the beginning of the construction season each year to promote safety initiatives. National Work Zone Awareness week was initiated in 1999 and has been effective at improving the safety of motorists and workers while reducing work zone crashes. This year’s initiative kicks off today, April 7th, 2014, with events being hosted in Seattle, WA.

Work Zone Speeding: A Costly Mistake

This year’s theme focuses on the dangers and risks of speeding through highway construction work zones. “In 2012, 609 workers and motorists were killed in highway work zones nationwide. Approximately 85 percent of those killed in work zones are drivers and their passengers.” Surely speeding played a role in a significant percentage of these accidents.

Events and Information

The National Work Zone Awareness Week 2014 kickoff event will be held on April 8, 2014 at 10 AM in Seattle Washington. The event is hosted on State Route 99 at the Alaska Way Viaduct Replacement Program project. For more information, visit the following websites.

We encourage you to drive safe in support of this worthy cause!

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 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™ 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.