Unpropped/Unsupported Bodies
All operators should be fully aware of staying away from unpropped or unsupported recovery bodies, this is especially true with auto-tilt slidebed recovery trucks.
Only when the bed has been slid back to such a point that the tailboard is resting on the floor and there is no chance that the body can be auto-tilted back towards its own chassis, and only when emergency stops have been activated and remote control boxes have been isolated, can an operator now gain access to recovery tools, brooms, shovels, wrecker bars etc. that may be stored under the body or on top of locker boxes etc.
Remote Controls and Emergency Stops
Radio remote systems must be isolated when not in use and emergency stops should be checked as part of an operator’s daily inspection routine. A faulty emergency stop should be reported immediately, as per your company’s reporting processes, and effectively means that the vehicle should not be used.
It is good working practice to not put remote control systems in pockets, nor to hang them around your neck or to have them on your person where they could be inadvertently activated if leant on, causing an unexpected movement. Best practice is to keep them in your hand when in use, to isolate them when not in use and to put them back in their location holder in the cab or in a place that you will easily remember where they are.
Be aware that not all emergency stops operate in the same way.
- Some will isolate the hydraulic systems but not disengage the PTO system of the recovery vehicle.
- Some will isolate both the hydraulic system and disengage the PTO drive.
- On some remote handsets the red button will act as an emergency stop.
- On some handsets the red button just turns off the handset and is not an emergency stop!
It is vitally important that operators carry out familiarisation training and fully understand the operating systems of the specific recovery truck that they are responsible for operating.
Secondary Restraints and Chocks
The IVR stresses the importance of using a secondary restraint at all times, when winching vehicles using towing eyes, in case of towing eye failure.