On most earthmoving jobs, the dump truck is the machine that moves the most. It backs into tight spots next to excavators and pavers, dumps on fill that may not be compacted, and shares the site with workers on foot. That makes the truck driver's habits as important as the excavator operator's.
Here are the hazards that account for most serious dump truck incidents on construction sites, and the OSHA rules that apply.
Which rules apply where
OSHA's construction rule for motor vehicles, 29 CFR 1926.601, covers vehicles "that operate within an off-highway jobsite, not open to public traffic." Once a truck is on a public road, commercial vehicle rules from the U.S. Department of Transportation and your state apply to the driver and the truck. Many haul trucks cross both, so drivers need to know both sets of expectations.
1. Backing
Backing is where dump trucks most often hurt people on foot. Under 1926.601(b)(4), a vehicle with an obstructed view to the rear can't be used unless it has a reverse signal alarm audible above the surrounding noise level, or it's backed up only when an observer signals that it's safe.
An alarm alone doesn't protect a laborer who is used to hearing alarms all day. Training should cover:
- Planning the site so trucks back as little as possible, with one-way haul routes where the ground allows.
- Using a spotter who stays in the driver's mirror, and agreeing on hand signals before the first load.
- Stopping when the spotter disappears from view.
- Walking around the truck before moving after it has been parked.
2. Dumping and rollovers
Trucks tip over when the body is raised on uneven or soft ground, when the load hangs up in the bed (frozen, wet or sticky material), or when the truck moves with the body up. Drivers should:
- Dump only on firm, level ground, and check fill edges and soft spots before backing onto them.
- Know that a load hanging in the front of a raised bed shifts the center of gravity high and forward.
- Lower the body before moving, even a short distance.
- Look up before raising the bed. Overhead power lines are a serious electrocution hazard for a raised dump body.
3. Loading under the bucket
When an excavator or loader fills the truck, material can fall on the cab. OSHA requires haulage vehicles loaded by cranes, power shovels, loaders or similar equipment to have "a cab shield and/or canopy adequate to protect the operator from shifting or falling materials" (1926.601(b)(6)). Drivers also shouldn't stand beside the truck under the swinging bucket. Under 1926.651(e), no one may be underneath loads handled by lifting or digging equipment.
4. Maintenance under a raised body
A dump body that drops during inspection or repair is often fatal. 1926.601(b)(10) requires trucks with dump bodies to have a "positive means of support, permanently attached, and capable of being locked in position to prevent accidental lowering of the body while maintenance or inspection work is being done." The body prop is only useful if drivers and mechanics use it every time, so it belongs in both the pre-shift routine and the lockout procedure.
5. The pre-shift check
1926.601(b)(14) requires vehicles in use to be checked at the beginning of each shift. The check covers service brakes (including trailer brake connections), the parking brake, emergency stopping system, tires, horn, steering, coupling devices, seat belts, operating controls and safety devices. Seat belts meeting federal motor vehicle standards must be installed in all motor vehicles (1926.601(b)(9)).
A written checklist the driver actually completes, with defects reported and fixed before the truck runs, is the simplest way to show the check is happening.
What our dump truck training covers
BHG Heavy Equipment's dump truck training runs at your job site or yard, on your trucks. It covers the pre-shift inspection, backing with spotters, dumping on unstable ground, tailgate and body-support procedures, overhead line awareness, and working around excavators and front end loaders, followed by a hands-on evaluation.
To set up training for your drivers, contact us. For how OSHA treats operator qualification in general, see Heavy Equipment Certification: What OSHA Actually Requires.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Check the current OSHA standards and DOT/state commercial vehicle rules that apply to your trucks.