Heavy Duty Trucking, February 2018
FEBRUARY 2018 HDT 79 WWW TRUCKINGINFO COM Keep an eye on safety In 2011 a worker lost a toe after his foot was caught in a pinch point between a liftgate and the body of the truck while loading for delivery In 2013 a truck driver sustained serious personal injuries when the trucks liftgate malfunctioned In recent months a driver was hurt after striking a trailer with its liftgate deployed Safety must be top of mind whenever liftgates are used particularly in last mile deliveries in residential neighborhoods or busy urban areas Walker encourages fleets to put flashing LED lights and signage on liftgates to make them more visible Adding traction to the liftgate platform can provide grip that prevents slips and falls as the trailer is loaded and unloaded Platforms with ridges and knurling provide grip in both directions Adding grip handles can further boost worker stability on the platform Finally Griessner points out it behooves fleet operators to ensure they do as much as possible to prevent the possibility of a hand finger or foot getting caught in a liftgates hydraulic components He recommends barriers over any moving points in the hydraulic system and safety railings to prevent falls We offer a technology called Smartspace where the lifting platform stops 1 8 of an inch before it hits the floor so if someones hand was on the threshold of the truck their fingers would not get pinched he says With the right liftgate on a truck fleets can meet the challenges presented by lastmile logistics head on and deliver products reliably efficiently and safely to city streets and residential driveways Ronnie Garrett is a freelance writer based in Fort Atkinson Wisconsin who writes about a variety of topics including supply chain and logistics Learn more about how to spec and maintain liftgates at www truckinginfo com liftgates BONUS Today the average truck is on the road for 10 to 12 years so customers want a liftgate that lasts equally as long Kurt Walker Anthony Liftgates
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