How to prevent truck drive-aways during loading and unloading

This blog continues from our recent post on the ‘Lockout Tagout Best Practice‘ Group on LinkedIn.

We introduced a ‘Glad Hand’ lockout device used to lock off the airlines that connect truck and trailer units on articulated vehicles. Glad Hand refers to a style of quick release air connector. When disconnected, the brakes on the truck lock on, effectively immobilizing the trailer.

This can be an effective control mechanism when loading and unloading trailers at loading docks. It’s not uncommon for the truck/trailer to drive away from the loading bay unknown to the loading vehicle driver. In the worst case scenario, the loading vehicle can fall into the gap, often throwing the driver out of his/her cab in the process causing untold injury or even death.

Immobilizing the trailer using a Glad Hand Lockout is a low cost, but highly effective means to prevent this type of accident.