GDI Insurance Chocking and Blocking Safety

When loading or unloading trucks and trailers, an essential part of a safe working environment is the proper use of chocks and blocks. Every year, California workers are severely or fatally injured because the wheels of a truck or trailer were not chocked. Vehicle drivers are also injured when trailers overturn because an unblocked freight shifted during travel. Follow these chocking and blocking safety tips to reduce risks.

Wheels Aren’t Always Meant to Roll

Accidents are caused each year when a truck or trailer rolls away from the dock because no one took time to chock the wheels. In some cases, drivers who got out of the cab were crushed by their own rig. In other cases, lift truck drivers were injured when their forklift fell between the dock edge and a trailer that rolled away. To prevent this from happening, the wheels of trucks or trailers at a dock should always be chocked prior to the start of any operation. Lift truck drivers should never enter a trailer without first verifying that the wheels have been chocked, that the floor of the trailer is in good condition and that it is capable of supporting the weight of the forklift and its load. In most states, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that vehicle wheels be chocked prior to permitting forklifts to enter trailers.

Positioning of Chocks

The purpose of the chock is to pin the wheels and hold them stationary so that the tractor or trailer cannot move. However, if chocks are not placed in the right location, they may not prevent movement of the wheels. The safest procedure is to always chock the wheels closest to the dock, especially on a tandem-axle trailer. This is important because the lift truck entering the trailer can exert a downward force, which helps pin the wheels more effectively against the chock. Otherwise, if the front axle is chocked, the forward motion of a forklift entering the trailer may loosen the chock, allowing the trailer to move forward, or even jump the chock.

The Hazards of Shifting Loads

Freight inside the trailer must also be blocked or secured to keep the load from shifting. Equipment such as load bars, vertical supports and load straps should be used. If left unsecured, cargo can be damaged or cause a trailer to overturn in transit. Proper safety procedures should be observed any time a load is raised and transferred.

Have Proper Equipment at Hand

Be sure the correct equipment is always available. Every loading dock should be equipped with chocks, which, if properly used, will keep vehicles from moving while being loaded or unloaded, especially when forklift trucks are used. Chocks will more likely be available at all times if they are fastened to the dock with a chain or rope to prevent their “disappearance,” and stored out of high-traffic areas when not in use. Chocks and blocks help avoid accidents. Use them, and require others to do the same! Learn more about Trucking Insurance from GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. 

GDI your California Truck Insurance Expert!

Here are some more ways I can help you save on your Truck Insurance by first building a solid loss control and safety programs to help you stay on top of your biggest risk management and compliance challenges. To really save money on your truck insurance you have to start with: Workplace Safety Programs Save Thousands On California Truck Insurance! Our transportation industry safety manual and employee safety resources can provide your place of business with useful injury prevention information.

Compliance and Record keeping

You are responsible for complying with regulations from OSHA, DOT and more. Let us show you how to do so correctly. Managing Risks Makes it profitable for insurance companies to insure you. You win big and save more when insurance companies compete for your truck insurance. We have the risk management expertise to help you plan and control resources and activities in order to cost-effectively fulfill your objectives. Building a Safety Culture Our employee safety materials help you promote a safety-minded workplace. We have flyers, posters, payroll stuffers on such topics as hazardous material handling, defensive driving, obeying traffic controls, etc. DOT/FMCSA Compliance We have reference materials, forms and checklists that will help you remain in compliance with DOT/FMCSA regulations. Here is another page on this site with more information about my program to save you money on CA Truck Insurance, and keep you safe! Just Click Here!  

At GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. we will do the work for you to ensure you have the best protection plan for your California business.  Not only that, but as you can see, we will go the extra mile to make sure your business is protected from the inside-out. 

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To put the GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. experts to work for you, simply fill out the Protection Savings Form above or call our office today at 1-888-991-2929 to learn more about GDI’s Exclusive California Commercial Auto Insurance Fleet Program!