Unless you were there from open until close for all three days, and were able to limit the amount of time spent filling-out door-prize forms and watching various renditions of “Deal or No Deal,” it is unlikely that you saw everything that the Mid-America Trucking Show had to offer. I know I missed quite a bit. However my mission was limited. In fact, I attend the Mid-America Trucking Show each year intentionally planning to overlook many of the exhibits that most of the folks go to see. As the Loss Control Manager for Midwestern Insurance Alliance, I have a single-minded focus at the trucking show…. to find the products being promoted this year that will help prevent workers’ compensation claims within your business.
This article includes my top picks from the 2008 Mid-American Trucking Show (in no particular order). Each includes a link to the product’s website. If any link fails to direct you to the proper website, contact me at losscontrol@miains.com.
Ancra’s EZ Torque Winch is a creative innovation that can be expected to prevent injuries within the flatbed segment of the trucking industry. A replacement for conventional winches on flatbed trailers, the EZ Torque Winch makes winch bars obsolete, replacing winch bars with a removable hand crank that’s small enough to fit in your jacket pocket. Not only does this product remove the hazards of awkward postures, physical strain and the potential for the winch bar to slip out of the hole, it also keeps the driver close to the trailer – and hence lessens exposure to being struck by forklift or other vehicle. There are several other options from Ancra to minimize injury potential associated with tightening load-securement straps, including the Silver Cap (a ratchet winch) and a pneumatic winch. However my personal favorite (considering both functionality and cost) was the EZ Torque Winch.
If the EZ Toque Winch is too much of a financial burden to swallow at the moment; or if your drivers pull flatbed trailers that your company does not own, you may want to consider Kinedyne’s Ratchet Winch Bar. It is designed to work with a standard 4″ strap winch (or cable winch) and has a key to prevent the bar from slipping out of the winch while in use. A world of difference from a standard winch bar, Kinedyne’s Ratchet Winch Bar significantly minimizes awkward postures, such as overhead reaching to tighten load securement straps
Getting on and off of trailers is a necessity for virtually every flatbed driver. For drivers pulling van trailers or refers there is often a reason to get in/out of the trailer as well. Unfortunately, most trailers are not equipped with steps and handholds to make this task easy. Instead many drivers crawl up and jump down. There are a variety of portable and permanent steps and ladders to help drivers prevent drivers from falling while climbing on/off trailers. Safe-T-Steps is a new product on the market and has several advantages over many that have been available in the past. Not the least of these features is the size, weight and cost. It is small enough and light enough that drivers will actually use it, and it is inexpensive enough that company owners and independent drivers can afford it.
What About Your Mechanics
Although the bulk of your employees are likely truck drivers, let’s not forget your mechanics. After all they have significant injury exposures that are quite different than those of truck drivers. The following 3 products are my picks to prevent injures to your mechanics.
BlueTork is a new product from Chicago Pneumatic that combines the functionality of an impact wrench with that of a torque wrench. This tool is marketed to reduce vibration, noise and physical manual effort as compared with the traditional approach of using an impact wrench and a torque wrench to tighten wheel lugs. They also get my vote for the most unique website of the products listed in my top picks.
Another creative innovation that may prevent injuries within your truck/trailer maintenance is Gaither Tool Company’s Bead Booster GB-8A. This product has a couple unique features: an automatic valve with a foot pedal release mechanism, and a built-in tire stand that automatically sets the bottom bead allowing for use of lower air pressures. If you are not familiar with Gaither’s other tubeless truck tire tools, you are encouraged to spend some time on their website or even look to www.YouTube.com for some online videos of their products.
My final pick from the 2008 Mid-America Trucking Show is SafeTec’s X-Deck Platform. All too often to reach elevated areas in the truck maintenance garage involves using a stepladder or even an extension ladder. The forces created by side-reaching often causes ladders to fall and the results can be tragic. By providing a work platform and a more stable footing, SafeTec’s X-Deck Platform is clearly a safer alternative.
Whether you made it to the 2008 Mid-America Trucking Show or not, I’d love to hear your opinion. Have you used these products? Would you recommend them? How about other products – What other tools or equipment are you familiar with that might prevent a driver or mechanic within a trucking company from being injured on the job?
