Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/233439
ATIONSPoint Safety ILLUSTRATED Dump and kept the bed is ks have to with better n a better des better 2 Maintain adequate berms 3 Inspect dump area for cracks and other problems Berms are extremely important when dumping. A good berm should have a wide enough base to keep the heavy load over the rear tires from getting too close to the edge where the material could give way. The berm provides the haul truck driver with a visual indication of the location of the edge of the pile and offers some restraint to keep the truck from going over the edge. However, drivers should back up slowly and come to a gradual stop at the dumping point without making contact with the berm. Before dumping, drivers should check the dump area for cracks and other problems. Cracks in the ground around the dump area are a warning sign, indicating that the slope is unstable. Dump short of cracks near the edge of a slope and correct the situation by pushing down the unstable material and reestablishing an adequate berm. At many operations, trucks drive on the left side of the haul road so that drivers can inspect the dump area as they approach. 5 6 Back in perpendicular to edge Many dump-point accidents have been attributed to trucks backing in at an angle to the edge of the slope. Haul trucks should back in perpendicular to the edge of the slope and berm or with the driver's side tires leading just slightly. Backing in at an angle can cause the driver to misjudge the distance to the edge on the opposite side of the truck, which could cause the truck to break through the berm and topple down the slope. OUR EXPERTS Cynthia Kirby is corporate director safety and health, Vulcan Materials Co. She holds a bachelor's degree in biology and medical technology from Jacksonville State University. She achieved Summa Cum Laude designation with her master of science in public health and industrial hygiene from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She joined Vulcan Materials Co. in 1990. Be extra cautious dumping at night Dumping at night or in poor visibility conditions requires extra caution on the part of haul truck drivers. Sufficient lighting should be provided so that hazardous conditions, such as cracks or inadequate berms, can be detected during night operations. When visibility is poor, it's a good practice to dump a full truck length back from the edge of the slope. Ahmed Hamadi is the operations manager for Lafarge Midwest Aggregates based out of Elburn, Ill. He graduated from the University of Missouri-Rolla, with a master's of science in mining engineering. Hamadi joined Lafarge in 2011. Prior to joining Lafarge, he worked for Granite Construction Co. in California as a plant manager and then as regional manager of Construction Materials. January 2014 OperationsIllustrated_AGRM0114.indd 19 12/13/13 9:07 AM