VEHICLE ROLLAWAY SOLUTIONS
PEACE OF MIND FOR WHEN THE TRUCK PARKING BRAKE IS NOT APPLIED
IN RECENT YEARS THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT FOCUS ON REDUCING WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACCIDENTS IN AUSTRALIA.
ACCIDENTS LIKE VEHICLE ROLLAWAYS, WHICH RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURIES AND FATALITIES, CAN NOW BE PREVENTED THROUGH THE USE OF ANTI-ROLLAWAY BRAKING TECHNOLOGY.
One of the most hazardous activities for drivers – apart from driving – is the loading and unloading of goods.
According to SafeWork Australia, over the 10 year period from 2003 to 2012, incidents that occurred while loading or unloading a vehicle accounted for 15% of the truck-related fatalities (120 out of 787 deaths) and 20% of off-road fatalities. Repair and maintenance activities accounted for 7% of deaths.
Of the 120 victims, 88 people (74%) were truck drivers or occupants, with the remainder being workers who were working on or around a truck at the time.
Similarly, a European study found the three main causes of accidents while loading and unloading were:
- Falls from vehicle, platforms and while loading.
- Being struck or run over by moving vehicles (even on an incline of only 2%)
- Or being struck by falling objects or loads.
FAILURE TO APPLY TRUCK PARKING BRAKES A MAJOR CAUSE OF OFF-ROAD INJURIES OR DEATH
In the 10 year Australian study, 44 deaths (or 37%) were caused by the vehicle moving.
Those 44 fatalities were either:
- the truck driver being hit by their own vehicle,
- the truck driver being hit by another vehicle,
- or a pedestrian/worker being hit by the truck driver’s vehicle.
These are fatalities not injuries, the statistics of which are always higher.
Sadly, in Australia and around the world every year there are stories of truck drivers being crushed by their own vehicles due to:
- Not engaging the truck parking brake upon leaving the vehicle, leaving a vehicle in neutral/idle mode and the vehicle subsequently rolling forward or backwards;
- Incorrect coupling and uncoupling of trailers; or,
- Unsafe parking, and the failure to follow proper parking procedures.
Often not engaging a park brake is an accidental oversight by the driver – due to tiredness, pre-occupation (e.g., meeting a delivery deadline or attending to an emergency), or misjudgement – a driver thinking they will do the one thing they need to do, and be back in the vehicle in no time.
This is why Safe Work Australia has made ENSURING VEHICLES ARE BRAKED APPROPRIATELY one of their Top 7 Recommendations for reducing fatalities related to heavy vehicles.
Table 6: Truck-related worker fatalities involving loading/unloading: number by type of Incident, 2003 to 2012 combined
| Type of incident | No. of fatalities | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Hit by moving vehicle (own/pedestrian/other) | 44 | 37% |
| Hit by falling cargo | 20 | 17% |
| Fall from vehicle | 15 | 13% |
| Loading plant onto tray of truck | 9 | 8% |
| Vehicle overbalanced | 7 | 6% |
| Trapped in lifting equipment | 6 | 5% |
| Hitting overhead power lines | 5 | 4% |
| Hit by falling ramp | 4 | 3% |
| Explosion | 3 | 3% |
| Other | 6 | 5% |
| Total | 120 | 100% |
OUR VEHICLE ROLLAWAY SOLUTIONS:
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MAX-SAFE ANTI-ROLLAWAY BRAKE SYSTEM™
This is an active safety solution, activated in the event of a driver neglecting to fully apply the park brake before leaving their vehicle, and applying it for them.
It is a proven solution that has been available for over 15 years and saves lives. It is used by numerous council garbage trucks around Australia and more recently by Emergency Services vehicles.
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MAX-SAFE AUDIBLE WARNING™
Our warning system can notify a driver that he has forgotten to apply a brake, or alert people within the vicinity. By doing so, people can get out of the way of the vehicle, and the driver doesn’t have to try to climb into a moving vehicle to stop it. The vehicle will be stopped safely and automatically, thanks to our truck parking brake technology that actively prevents vehicle rollaways.This system can be fitted to all commercial and heavy vehicles including forklifts.
