Forestry trucks are vital pieces of equipment used for transporting harvested timber from the cutting site to the mills. They are chosen over other means of transportation such as railroads because of being efficient and cost-effective and can also be operated on various terrains. Despite such advantages, these vehicles can be quite dangerous to operate. It is estimated that six hundred deaths occur annually in trucking accidents. These trucks are large and heavy, making them fifteen times more difficult to operate than a family car. So safety is a huge consideration when being driven.
Dangers
Following are some of the possible dangers that may occur when operating a forestry truck.
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Jackknifing – Jackknifing occurs when one of the axles locks due to sudden and heavy braking. If the drive axles lock, the tractor will swerve either left or right causing the trailer to hit something or the tractor to jackknife. The same problem may occur if trailer axles lock; the trailer will swerve to the left or right, eventually hitting the tractor.
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Rollover – Big rigs like forestry trucks are prone to rollovers, primarily due to their height. The higher the vehicle, the more it is prone to tipping over while turning a corner because of the weight being transferred laterally. A big rig can easily tip over when being driven at a high speed. Even at low speed, the rig may still tip if there are other external factors involved, such as soft ground, or if a tire goes off the pavement.
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Fire – Fire is another common cause of fatalities in the trucking industry. Fire contributes to as many as ten percent of fatalities with these vehicles. Unlike gasoline, diesel fuel is hard to ignite even if there is a spark source present; however, it may still occur if there is an intense source of heat and a spark and if there is only one energy source capable of doing this, and that is the battery. During an accident, the battery may short out; combine with leaking fuel, and ignite with a resulting fire.
Safety Tips
In order to avoid the risks referenced above, here are some safety tips to observe when operating a heavy rig such as a forestry truck.
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Brakes – The brakes are a vital component on a truck; the stopping power provided should be uniform on all of wheels; any imbalance could cause one of the wheels to lock. If the wheels on the steering axle lock, this could cause the truck to become uncontrollable. If the drive axle wheels lock, it could cause the trailer to jackknife. The same thing could happen if the trailer axle wheels lock.
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Load Distribution – The load distribution on the trailer is crucial; any imbalance could lessen the effectiveness of the brakes. If one side of the trailer has an excessive load while the opposite side is light, it could cause the brakes on the lighter side to lock during braking, causing the entire rig to skid uncontrollably and/or the trailer jackknife or even roll over.
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Curb Speed – When driving on curbs, always maintain a safe driving speed to avoid tipping. Keep an eye on external factors that could cause the rig to tip, such as uneven road grade and soft ground. Consider the load balance in relationship to the strength of the suspension system; a good suspension system is stiff and should be able to resist rollovers.
Operating large rigs such as forestry trucks can be very dangerous; however, these dangers can be avoided with the proper maintenance, operation and driving attitude. Hopefully this article has provided helpful information regarding the dangers associated with forestry trucks and how they can be avoided!
