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Truck Loading and Unloading Fall Arrest

Flat beds, double drop flat beds, box trucks, bulk solid haulers, and tankers all have unique geometries, access points, and fall hazards.  The same can be said of facilities where agricultural products are loaded and unloaded.  Keeping your drivers and employees safe while loading and unloading trucks, tankers, and trailers requires a comprehensive fall prevention strategy, which includes the proper mix of fall protection equipment, personnel training, and partnering with a fall protection company that appreciates the unique nature of the potential fall hazards associated with the agriculture industry.

We are a complete turnkey provider of fall protection systems designed for the agricultural industry and have years of design and installation experience in this market sector.  Contact us for expert assistance with your fall arrest, fall restraint and fall protection safety requirements.

Fall Protection Solutions

Design Considerations

Truck Loading and Unloading Fall Protection Design Considerations

An effective fall arrest or fall protection system for agricultural truck loading and unloading applications must take into consideration such factors as trailer style, traffic volume, and loading/unloading area layout just to name a few.

Loading and unloading applications are well suited for fixed platforms with fold down gangways to allow personnel to safely reach the top of the work area and attach to a horizontal lifeline or rigid beam fall arrest system. (Mike: Jeff’s recording is a bit unclear about access platforms and gangways for truck loading and unloading. Is it enough just to mention them, or do we need a bit more information here?) Although T, L, and U style gallows equipped with horizontal lifelines may be specified for use with 12’ trailers their use is not recommended for flat-bed trailer with unprotected leading edges of four feet or less because impact with the ground will occur before the fall is arrested. For this reason, rigid rail or rigid beam fall arrest systems are often specified to minimize deflection. When used used in conjunction with a rigid beam system, SRL’s typically arrest falls within a 2ft. drop. Rigid, trolley beam systems can be run in parallel to provide ease of access for multiple users, or the fall arrest system can be constructed as a continuous, single beam system. Regardless of whether the application is best suited to a horizontal lifeline or a rigid beam system, care must be taken to consider the number of users and loads applied to the system to size the foundation correctly.

Our years of experience designing and installing fall protection systems for loading and unloading trucks in agricultural settings will help us implement a turnkey fall protection system that keeps your employees safe and your facility in compliance with all OSHA regulations.

OSHA Regulations

  • Horizontal Lifelines
    • 1926.502(d)(8)
      Horizontal lifelines shall be designed, installed, and used, under the supervision of a qualified person, as part of a complete personal fall arrest system, which maintains a safety factor of at least two.
  • Personal Fall Arrest Systems
    • 1926.502(d)(16)
      Personal fall arrest systems, when stopping a fall, shall:
    • 1926.502(d)(16)(ii)
      limit maximum arresting force on an employee to 1,800 pounds (8 kN) when used with a body harness;
    • 1926.502(d)(16)(iii)
      be rigged such that an employee can neither free fall more than 6 feet (1.8 m), nor contact any lower level;
    • 1926.502(d)(16)(iv)
      bring an employee to a complete stop and limit maximum deceleration distance an employee travels to 3.5 feet (1.07 m); and,
    • 1926.502(d)(16)(v)
      have sufficient strength to withstand twice the potential impact energy of an employee free falling a distance of 6 feet (1.8 m), or the free fall distance permitted by the system, whichever is less.

Talk to a fall protection specialist

Tell us about your fall protection needs, and we’ll configure a system that rises to your challenges.