Truck Driver Killed by his load 4-22-16

Unless the shipper specifies otherwise.

Galvanized, stainless and painted steel will get wrecked by chains without protection. And even then, there are some shippers that say ABSOLUTELY NO CHAINS on the bills and I've heard receivers can refuse a load if they see chains.

 

Yep. I haul quite a gew galvanized coils out of US Steel. Edge Protection is a Requirement before leaving the plant (there's a sign and everything).

As far as a receiver refusing the load cause I used chains, well....either he can unload it, or I will. And I guarantee he ain't gonna like where I leave it!

 

Truck driver killed after load comes loose on U.S. 20 in Angola

By WANE Staff Reports Published: April 22, 2016, 8:18 am Updated: April 22, 2016, 5:15 pm

ANGOLA, Ind. (WANE) A truck driver died Friday morning after a load of steel beams came loose and crashed through the cab of the truck after he had slammed on the brakes. The incident took place on US 20 just west of I-69 Friday at about 6:20 a.m.

The driver has been identified as Shawn H. Spencer, 44, of Rome, Pennsylvania. He was the lone occupant of the truck. He was traveling west on U.S. 20 when the incident took place and investigators haven’t determined why he had to stop suddenly. No other vehicles were involved.

Signage on the truck lists it as belonging to Todd Berguson Trucking Inc., Arnot, PA with a maximum load weight of 80,000 pounds.

The Angola Police Department closed westbound US 20 for about five hours while crews cleaned up the scene.

The driver of a semi was killed when steel beams came loose and crashed into the cab on the morning of April 22, 2016 on U.S. 20 in Angola.

 

Condolences to the family of Shawn H. Spencer, the 44 year old truck driver who passed away as a result of this horrible accident.

May he rest in peace! May God be with him for all eternity!

 

There are loads that you can't use chains even with edge protection. Unless maybe it was some really thick rubber? Carpet wouldn't do.

 

I once hauled a load of heavily processed Solid steel 1 inch round Bars.. Why I am pointing this out is this..

the Processing of these bars was at its purest form.(A mirror finish)
Light Oil needed to be added daily to keep them from creating White rust..... I didn't have a conestoga so tarping was critical (Oil,Plastic,paper then my Tarp...

Certainly No Chains anywhere near that stuff!

 

I love chains and if I could I would always use them on steel but the guys saying they would never haul steel without them probably don't haul much steel, many times we have been told no chains whatsoever. And customers will refuse it, if you think your just gonna unload it for them then go for it. Heard that a lot but never seen it. Very least your going to loose a customer and probably your insurance if your an o/o and you definitely ain't getting paid for it.
Steel Loads can be made safe with straps just takes a little more work.
Those beams that are manufactured and painted can and are a #####. Most of the time they are not even touching each other side to side, so if you don't take the time to put blocking between them they will squeeze together going down the road. It all has to be blocked and any peice that can move has to have straps on it. After blocking it also helps to use belly wraps and even 2" portables can be used to secure shorter beams to some of the longer and lower ones. Rubber mats help a lot with these loads also. Straps on steel or anything else with a sharp edge for that matter, with no edge protection is a huge no-no.

 

There Special rubbermats For sale
Non slip.
Would have helped a lot.

 

On my truck the only time chains won't be used on steel is if it will bend/crush what I'm trying to haul.
Paint? Really? That's when you use your rubber flap/ conveyor/ belting as protection. Extreme cases felt under angle iron pieces. If that is a no go it ain't going on the truck.
The problem is alot of the big fish in a small pond type morons at the shipping Dept think they know more about the business than you do. And demand it done their way.
I do not care if someone in the past damaged your product with a chain. I will not. If I take the time to explain and show exactly how it will be done and all I hear for an argument is company policy is this, than we are done here. Goodbye.

As soon as the load leaves the lot it is "YOUR BABY". All risk, liability, and lawsuits are all yours. Not the small minded idiot what drives a forklift.

Rant over. I just get sick of some of the morons a guy deals with. Most of them all they know is their little place in the world.
They shake their head when you put rubber mud flap pieces between I beams and put a couple of wrappers on it.
Shake their heads when you cross chain something.
Shake their heads when you belly wrap.
Basically shake their heads at anything other than 5 straps over the top and run.

 

If you drive a block down the road from the shipper, throw on your chains and stop a block before Consignee and remove your chains, who's the wiser?