Highway logging truck rolls onto its side

Safety Alert Type: 
Log Hauling
Location: 
West of Port Alberni (central Vancouver Island)
Date of Incident: 
2012-08-27
Company Name: 
Western Forest Products Inc.
Details of Incident: 

As a contract highway logging truck was negotiating a corner, the truck’s trailer bunk center pin nut and cotter pin fell out. This caused the trailer bunk to lift off the cup & saucer and slide off the trailer pulling the truck & trailer onto its side.

It was determined that the threads on both the nut & bolt holding the bolster to the trailer were badly worn and only the cotter pin was holding the nut from coming off the bolt (see photos in attached pdf).

Excessive play in the cup & saucer was noticed by the loader operator prior to the incident but the information that could have prevented the incident wasn’t communicated to the driver, or supervisor.

Recommended Preventative Actions: 

Learnings & Suggestions:

  • Trailer bunk retaining devices must be set correctly to allow the trailer bunk rollers or skid plates to take the lean of the load; no force should be transferred to the retaining device before the lean is supported.
  • Trailer bunk skid plates and rollers must not have excessive clearance as this will cause bunk retaining device failures.
  • Pre-trip inspections should focus on recognized weak points.
  • Trailer bunk retaining devices are prone to failure and should be inspected annually or if it appears to have too much play.
  • If you see something that does not look right with a piece of equipment take the time to make the operator aware of it.

 

For more information: Dan Pletti, Contract Supervisor 250-720-4253

File attachments
Highway logging truck rolls onto its side.pdf
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