Winter Loading Hazard
Page 44
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dent during the 1965/6 winter that brought this fact home in a most expensive fashion.
At one end of an articulated trunk service, and due to a last-minute change needed in the size of a semi-trailer, a suitable one was brought out of the trailer park by the day driver, and taken off to the loading point. The fact that there was an inch of snow on the platform was discounted as the load was on pallets, and also of a nature immune to wet weather.
With the load on and secured, all was considered well and the trailer returned to base which was the start of that night's trunk run. On the arrival of the night driver, tractor and trailer stood ready for him, and the fact that the platform was snow-covered meant little, as there was also a general covering on the ground.
Not apparent, however, was the fact that the load had been placed on a snow-covered platform. Also, the pallets were more than a foot short of reaching the chock rail on either side, this feature drawing attention to itself within one hour of starting the journey, at which time the temperature had dropped below zero.
The driver's attention was first drawn to this by a fairly heavy tail swing on a corner, and stopping to find the reason and check the actual road condition, he found that his load had moved across to the N/S chock rail, although not leaning at that time. He now saw that the platform was ice-covered, but having no shovel and unable to find grit, sand or salt, he decided to tighten the ropes and carry on until he could reach a garage or cafe, where he could borrow a
shovel and apply road material that would provide a grip for the sliding load, and also obtain assistance to centralize the load, if this was possible.
The fact that he was a good driver and instantly conscious of any unusual movement behind him was no doubt the reason for him being able to travel a further 34 miles, with four more stops and finding the load in a different position at each stop.
However, for all his skill and care, and with help less than a mile away through a town, he did not make it. When he tried to negotiate the adverse cambered route uphill around a middle of the street market hall the palletized load took command, moving to the side and this time, over the chock rail. Due to extra roping the whole outfit overturned—the result being a damaged tractor unit and a heavy claim for a load of broken bottles.
Moral: Either clean the platform for all loads, or carry your own bag of dry sand or grit for such emergencies.