Moving Words – Personal Safety
Timothy Brady
“In skating over thin ice our safety is in our speed.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
As we move towards the end of 2019, there are a number of things we must bring to mind for ourselves and our van operators: be conscious of safety at all times. Just one moment of inattention may have a devastating result; a ruined load, major upset in your revenue stream, an expensive ‘lesson’ or, far worse, end a career or a life. And while the vast majority of professional movers know the dangers of which they need to be aware, it’s a good idea for each of us to review our safety procedures and thinking on a regular basis.
One of the most important things to learn about trucking is that you are the one in charge of personal safety. Here are some tips for van operators, your staff, and yourself, just as a brush-up:
Never walk between parked trucks, especially in a remote or dark section of the parking lot or service dock. This is where danger can hide between a truck cab and trailer. It’s where the majority of trucker robbery attempts occur. Walk out in the middle of the driving lane and to the end of the row of parked trucks or the building, then head to the restaurant, your cab or the dock. A few more minutes’ walking could save your wallet or your life.
Take a good look outside your window before you climb out of the truck. Notice anyone loitering, a car that’s idling but not in a parking spot, even thunderstorm clouds moving in.
What are the potential dangers? People who just seem out of place may be looking to rob or hijack an easy target. An idling car may be suddenly engaged an erratic or impaired driver. That thunderstorm could produce lightning or straight-line winds. Being aware of your surroundings just keeps you safer.
Don’t forget the ‘three-point exit.’ Either two feet and one hand or two hands and one foot in contact with the truck floor or step. Always.
Once you’re out of the cab, don’t start gabbing on your cell phone the minute you’re walking. Get where you’re heading before you call, or if your phone rings, ask someone to call you back. You present a tempting target anytime you’re distracted.
At a dock or in a loading area, stand with your back against a wall in a well-lighted area, and watch out for forklifts. Too many avoidable accidents happen every year to truckers.
If you’re going into an unfamiliar area, try to catch the local news before you’re due at delivery. Check to see whether there’s been a shooting or other incident close to your customer’s location, especially if your delivery’s in a high crime area. Do the research, know the risks and the dangers before going into an area. If there’s concern, call local law enforcement for their assessment of the area.
Be careful of exiting your truck in a rest area that may have two or fewer cars and – no trucks. Bluntly, you’re extremely vulnerable sitting on a toilet or with your back to a door while at the urinal. Trust the hair on the back of your neck and that voice of concern in your head. If it’s saying ‘It’s not safe,’ believe it. Better it’s wrong and you stayed put, rather than it being right and you climbed out of the truck into danger.
And finally, with the challenges for all truckers to find safe parking for their 10-hour rest break each day, agencies and moving companies need to look into providing a safe, secure place to park, not only for their agency’s or company’s van operators, but for those other movers who are traveling through your city or town. It’s not just professional courtesy. The safety of the moving industry’s van operators and crews concerns all of us.
For safety is not a gadget but a state of mind. – Eleanor Everet
