Truck Loading and Unloading Fall Protection

Design Considerations

An effective fall arrest or fall protection system for mining or 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 that allow personnel to safely reach the top of the work area and attach to a horizontal lifeline or rigid beam fall arrest system.

Although T-, L- and U-style systems equipped with horizontal lifelines may be specified for use with 12-foot trailers, their use is not recommended for flat-bed trailers with unprotected leading edges of four feet or less. This is because the user will strike the ground before the fall is arrested. For this reason, rigid rail or rigid beam fall arrest systems are often specified to minimize deflection.

When used in conjunction with a rigid beam system, self-retracting lifelines typically arrest falls within a 2-foot drop. Rigid rail 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. Our rigid-rail fall arrest systems benefit from our 3D Triangle Truss design to provide a greater span between support columns, saving you money and providing more navigable space.

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 in designing and installing fall protection systems for loading and unloading trucks in agricultural or mining settings give us the expertise necessary to implement a turnkey fall protection system that keeps your employees safe and your facility in compliance with all OSHA regulations.