Have you ever seen or heard of a truck leaving the docks while still having the forklift inside the trailer or having the trailer moved out of place due to not being secured properly? These accidents are unfortunately very common and can leave the forklift operator with serious injuries, permanent disability, or even death.

Annually, more than 90,000 forklift related injuries are reported. Of these accidents, 7% occur when the forklift is leaving the dock. As a result, many companies have strict accident prevention policies and the OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has imposed certain requirements in order to prevent these accidents.

There are four types of situations that cause this type of accident:

Quick exit: It happens when the truck driver leaves in an untimely manner while the forklift operator is either entering the trailer or leaving the trailer.

Trailer hauling: Occurs when the truck is not secured to the dock and the trailer moves away from the dock when the forklift enters and leaves the trailer. The torque that is not secured to us tends to move forward when the forklift enters and leaves the trailer, creating a space that can cause the forklift to turn or fall.

Trailer overturning: Is another common accident that occurs due to the separation of the trailer from the dock and occurs when the landing gear of the trailer collapses and causes the trailer to turn over. This could damage or destroy the products on the trailer and, worse, could seriously injure or kill the forklift operator.

Elevation of the tail of the trailer: This happens when the trailer is not secured to the dock, and the weight of the forklift causes the other end of the trailer to move away from the loading dock and lift. All products inside the trailer is lifted and will slide down from the raised end. The forklift operator could suffer serious injuries, and all the products could be damaged or destroyed.

We recommend that you be very careful when moving away from the dock. Do it very cautiously, open the windows, lower the volume of your radio to be able to warn if something happens or someone tries to warn of any danger. Make sure the brakes are set correctly and put wedges on the wheels. It’s also highly recommended that the trailer is not old, since over time the ground usually weakens and this has caused accidents in which the forklift operator falls with the collapsing ground, causing serious injuries and even death. It’s better to take more precautionary measures. Have a great day and a safe trip.