Juddian:
The only way the combo could possibly move is if the tractor unit brake was left off also, in which case the vehicle would have moved anyway once the trailer brake was released, and depending where the button was located the result would be the same, runaway.
Anyone with any sense trains themselves that as they alight from the cab after hitching up, the very last thing they do before shutting the door is to take a final look at the parking brake lever to make sure its on…
Agree entirely. I have to split couple as i have the fifth wheel as far forward as possible to allow the smallest gap between trailer and tractor, its perfectly safe to do as long as you take the basic precautions.
Our yard in Malaga has big signs in four languages ‘Do Not Apply Trailer Brake’ but as far as i know theres never been a problem…
R.I.P driver…
nick2008:
Another reason why split coupling should be band and Mavis rails fitted to all and Every trailer and a standardisation of trailer parking breaks placed next to the Mavis rail.
In today’s industry is there really any need for the shunt button since 90% or most new trailers the shunt buttons don’t work as there connnected to the park brake .
If you banned split coupling (and why would you as it’s perfectly safe if done properly) how do you deal with close coupled trailers…and wtf are ‘‘mavis rails’’ exactly, that’s a new one on me unless I know whatever they are by a different name.
They are Montracon Articulated Vehicle Interconnection System, basically couplings slide out on a rail so you can couple up with both feet on ground.
I know a lot of people think all this H&S ■■■■■■■■ is unnecessary but while doing some work at Sainsbury’s, Dartford recently, I couldn’t believe the amount of drivers I saw who would back on a bay and pull the pin first
This is more typical than the DHL arrangement. Normally undo a dog clip and it slides out to the side allowing you to connect up without getting onto the cat walk, particularly useful when hooking to a fridge so you can avoid split coupling, its main purpose really.
Juddian:
The only way the combo could possibly move is if the tractor unit brake was left off also, in which case the vehicle would have moved anyway once the trailer brake was released, and depending where the button was located the result would be the same, runaway.
Anyone with any sense trains themselves that as they alight from the cab after hitching up, the very last thing they do before shutting the door is to take a final look at the parking brake lever to make sure its on…
Agree entirely. I have to split couple as i have the fifth wheel as far forward as possible to allow the smallest gap between trailer and tractor, its perfectly safe to do as long as you take the basic precautions.
Our yard in Malaga has big signs in four languages ‘Do Not Apply Trailer Brake’ but as far as i know theres never been a problem…
R.I.P driver…
Do you live in Malaga? You’ve never mentioned it before.
robroy:
How was it the firm’s fault in real terms ?
I’m assuming he was parked on a slope, and I know the poor guy paid the ultimate price for it, but surely he knew it was necessary to use his hand brake, trailer brake or both, is it not common sense. Maybe it was an over sight on his part who knows, we all make mistakes, and if that was the case the lad and his family paid dearly for it.
However, has it really got to the stage where we have to be told every little bloody detail of procedure to protect us from ourselves? and if so where is the cut off point ? …Breathe in breathe out?
I’m not being flippant here btw towards the poor lad who lost his life either, before anybody starts , I’m just a bit ■■■■■■ off with all this h&s ■■■■■■■■ where thinking for yourself is not an option any longer, and making a human mistake is not a reason or excuse for an epic balls up anymore such as this.
RIP drive.
One of the firms I used to work for had a real issue with trailer brakes not being applied and it was a bent metal rollaway that prompted a purge. The whole thing took less than 2 weeks to change a culture that had grown over months. People were disciplined 2 guys were sacked for a second offence , being too stupid to change their behaviour. That may be thought harsh but maybe the driver who died would have benefited from a similar process. The underlying point was those who did it right didn’t get disciplined.
Sadly for the guy killed it wasn’t 1 mistake it was several.
Thanks for clarifying the Mavis rails, I have used that system before btw, but didn’t know that was what it was called.
Still learning after all these years.
Confession time here.
Up to about 5 yrs ago I never used trailer brakes. shock, horror.
Think it all went back to the days of seized or broken cables on the old ratchet system on dog rough old European Tilts…
So it got to the point I didn’t even check to see if they worked and it just carried on from there, when the air button system came out.
robroy:
How was it the firm’s fault in real terms ?
I’m assuming he was parked on a slope, and I know the poor guy paid the ultimate price for it, but surely he knew it was necessary to use his hand brake, trailer brake or both, is it not common sense. Maybe it was an over sight on his part who knows, we all make mistakes, and if that was the case the lad and his family paid dearly for it.
However, has it really got to the stage where we have to be told every little bloody detail of procedure to protect us from ourselves? and if so where is the cut off point ? …Breathe in breathe out?
I’m not being flippant here btw towards the poor lad who lost his life either, before anybody starts , I’m just a bit ■■■■■■ off with all this h&s ■■■■■■■■ where thinking for yourself is not an option any longer, and making a human mistake is not a reason or excuse for an epic balls up anymore such as this.
RIP drive.
One of the firms I used to work for had a real issue with trailer brakes not being applied and it was a bent metal rollaway that prompted a purge. The whole thing took less than 2 weeks to change a culture that had grown over months. People were disciplined 2 guys were sacked for a second offence , being too stupid to change their behaviour. That may be thought harsh but maybe the driver who died would have benefited from a similar process. The underlying point was those who did it right didn’t get disciplined.
Sadly for the guy killed it wasn’t 1 mistake it was several.
The problem is from an Operators pov, you can never cover every single thing that could go wrong. Always something that you think doesn’t need explaining or just something you overlook, and it comes back to bite you.
A depot I go to regularly the shunter has advised me NO need to use the park brake, company policy is ON, sorry lazy shunter the park brake is always on
albion:
The problem is from an Operators pov, you can never cover every single thing that could go wrong. Always something that you think doesn’t need explaining or just something you overlook, and it comes back to bite you.
Totally agree, if every little minute detail had to come under some sort of training/risk assessment nothing would ever get done. Unfortunately you cant teach common sense…
simcant:
A depot I go to regularly the shunter has advised me NO need to use the park brake, company policy is ON, sorry lazy shunter the park brake is always on
At our place you’ll actually get wrong for applying the brake…
robroy:
How was it the firm’s fault in real terms ?
I’m assuming he was parked on a slope, and I know the poor guy paid the ultimate price for it, but surely he knew it was necessary to use his hand brake, trailer brake or both, is it not common sense. Maybe it was an over sight on his part who knows, we all make mistakes, and if that was the case the lad and his family paid dearly for it.
However, has it really got to the stage where we have to be told every little bloody detail of procedure to protect us from ourselves? and if so where is the cut off point ? …Breathe in breathe out?
I’m not being flippant here btw towards the poor lad who lost his life either, before anybody starts , I’m just a bit ■■■■■■ off with all this h&s ■■■■■■■■ where thinking for yourself is not an option any longer, and making a human mistake is not a reason or excuse for an epic balls up anymore such as this.
RIP drive.
One of the firms I used to work for had a real issue with trailer brakes not being applied and it was a bent metal rollaway that prompted a purge. The whole thing took less than 2 weeks to change a culture that had grown over months. People were disciplined 2 guys were sacked for a second offence , being too stupid to change their behaviour. That may be thought harsh but maybe the driver who died would have benefited from a similar process. The underlying point was those who did it right didn’t get disciplined.
Sadly for the guy killed it wasn’t 1 mistake it was several.
What do you think happens when you release the trailer brake?
stevieboy308:
What do you think happens when you release the trailer brake?
I wonder if that’s why some trailer manufacturers put the trailer brake and shunt valve near the back end behind the rear most wheels, has you pretty much out of harms way when you release the brake.
Tbh I’m surprised there isn’t an industry standard of where they are to be placed, if it was down to me I’d have the auto apply type park brake and it’d be on the bulkhead where I could see it and also re-apply it quickly if need be as the industry standard.
As with hitting bridges, only one person responsible. The man actually doing the job. Not the ■■■■ in the office. The ■■■■ in the office can not be present at every trailer change/hook up. The ■■■■ in the office can issue ten daily reminders about safety, and stick them on the wall. It’s the ■■■■ doing the job, who has to do it right. And it’s the ■■■■ doing the job, who ■■■■ up, either through lazy Ness, or through stupidity…
And another thing, when was the last time you saw a trailer with wheels under the legs? They all have (hinged) feet these days, making roll aways a thing of the past.
Unless you don’t apply the tractor hand brake when you exit the cab. Enough said…
As with hitting bridges, only one person responsible. The man actually doing the job. Not the [zb] in the office. The [zb] in the office can not be present at every trailer change/hook up. The [zb] in the office can issue ten daily reminders about safety, and stick them on the wall. It’s the [zb] doing the job, who has to do it right. And it’s the [zb] doing the job, who [zb] up, either through lazy Ness, or through stupidity…
Rather strongly worded but a good point none the less
