Dump trucks are crucial vehicles on construction sites. They are primarily used to transport various materials within construction sites and to-and-fro external locations.
Although dump trucks are crucial for efficient construction, they are associated with various accidents. For example, the trucks can tip over, injuring or killing nearby workers. “Trucking companies could be held accountable for negligent hiring practices, faulty truck maintenance, having defective brakes, or faulty vehicle maintenance, in general, are other potential causes of truck accidents” says Felix Gonzalez Law Firm.
Dump Truck Hazards
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has recorded a notable increase in severe dump truck accidents in the recent past. In many cases, the vehicle requires towing from the site.
According to a 2019 FMCSA survey, dump trucks cause about 8% of fatal accidents involving large buses and trucks.There are five main reasons for these accidents:
- Poor visibility when reversing on site
- Overloading and tipping
- Inexperienced drivers
- Driving a truck with a tipped skip
- Driving on uneven surfaces and tipping
However, the most critical hazard involves truck tip-over. Specifically, a truck will tip over when the center of gravity and load of a skip in a raised position are beyond its frame rails.
Causes of Dump Truck Tip-Over Accidents
Tip-over is essentially a result of uneven load distribution. This eventuality occurs due to three reasons:
- Uneven packing of materials
- When the truck is operating on a slope or soft and uneven grounds
- When the load fails to flow properly while being dumped
A dump truck’s back wheels may also unevenly settle as the load is dumped. This condition comprises the truck’s stability, increasing the risk of tip-over.
Mechanical conditions can also compromise truck stability to cause tip-over. The notable defects include:
- Inadequate or worn-out lifting equipment
- Worn-out rear suspension on one side of the truck
- Damaged lifting cylinders
- Uneven rear-wheel pressure
Tips for Preventing Tip-Over Accidents
Most of the hazards and causes of dump truck tip-over are adequately manageable. The following critical tips can help avoid accidents:
- Implementing safety policies and procedures
- Establishing a program for inspection and maintenance
- Avoiding dumping near other vehicles and people
- Ensuring the tailgate is unlocked, and the truck is on an adequately level surface before dumping
- Dumping only when on even ground
- Carrying relatively lighter loads in the case of poor-flowing materials
- Adhering to dump truck weight limits
- Using the appropriate dump truck for each job
Compensation for Injury
Contractors and other construction stakeholders are legally obligated to ensure worker safety. Adequate preventive and responsive measures must be in place on-site.
Thus, you should file a compensation claim if you are injured during a dump truck tip-over or any other accident. This compensation is a form of insurance offering medical benefits and wage replacement for workers injured on site.
Furthermore, it may be advisable to sue the vehicle manufacturer for additional damages when injured during a dump truck tip-over. This option is particularly relevant when the contractor and other construction stakeholders hold minimal blame for the accident.
Final Words
Dump truck tip-over is a recognized construction site accident. Interestingly, tip-overs account for notably high fatalities, up to 8% of all deaths involving buses and large trucks.
Thus, adequate preventive and responsive measures must be taken for tip-over accidents. These mitigations must target individual hazards, such as uneven offloading grounds. You should apply for a compensation claim if these measures are poorly addressed, leading to your injury from a truck tip-over.
