Best way to adjust to opening hatches on bulk trailer?

I guess I have the old attitude that if I think of falling off its a lot more likely to happen. We haul out of a couple places with no racks or cables but haven't had any issues yet.

 

Look at it this way, you'll stop falling when you hit the ground.. Yes I'm an optimist. But really winter time worried me as when it is raining but we also have the black textured stuff on tops of our trailers to help. Just take it easy and make every step deliberate. No need to get in a hurry.

 

Yeah, that's another thing, if your trailer doesn't already have it, you can put some grip tape up on top. Same stuff that goes on a skateboard. Helps a lot with traction.

 

Hopefully you will, though being a new guy I suspect you'll be in a 379 at least for a while.

As for not falling off, as someone said it is a lot mental. Making use of the rail down each side to put one foot on is a good tip, as well as keeping yourself in a position where if you do slip you end up on the trailer, not on the ground. Also some of the latches on the dome lids are tight, don't put yourself in a position pulling on it that you could go over the side when it pops loose. And pay attention to the latch that has the safety catch under it. Open it last, and if you've somehow managed to open all the others without noticing air rushing out, it'll keep the hatch from blowing open in your face.

Another thing to pay attention to is where the last step is coming down off the trailer. Some are on the left, some the right, some go all the way across. You don't want to step and find air.

Who is going to train you, and who did your road test, if you're comfortable saying?

 

Now here a story to remember. This man was a friend that lost his life on a pneumatic tank. One of the hatch was leaking while he was pumping cement into a silo in Lansing, MI. He climbed up to see what was happening and one of latches had lifted up a little he stepped on it to put it back down in place and the whole hatch came off and blew him roughly 25 feet in the air. He drove for Bulk Transfer out of Dundee MI. The reason I tell you 1 psi will kill you. Never never open anything till everything is at zero and the blow off valve is opening. The only time the blow off valve is closed is to unload. That is the number 1 rule good luck and most of all be safe.

 

Air pressure will kill.

Had a boss mention one time he touched the cam-loc ear on a 6" cap. The cap took off and they found it a couple of blocks away...

Had a guy try and remove a cam-loc cap on a pressurized MC307. The cap struck his face. He was wearing chem goggles which saved his eye but it did crack his orbital bone and split his lip. That was one of two times I took a mechanic to fetch the rig with blood running down the sides...

As far as plugging, a good teacher will show you how to handle a plug. Sometimes you can open the last hopper to make a vacuum that will suck the line back into the tank. should be part of Bulk Training 101.....

 

I haul liquids and we usually air off with 25 psi or less. After unloading, I let all the air out before checking for heel. I have met plant employees and drivers who let the air out while also unscrewing a few dome lid ears. "It lets the air out faster," they say.