A dump truck is a commercial vehicle that is used to load and unload cargo from an original site to a destination site. These vehicles are commonly used to transport sand, gravel, and many other types of building materials. To properly empty a load requires specific skills, as well as a clear knowledge of the unloading process to avoid damage to any person or property.

Operators of these vehicles must be licensed and well trained to avoid any potential hazards in the workplace and must carefully read and follow the operator’s safety manuals before operating the vehicle.

Below are twelve easy steps to follow when unloading a dump truck that will always put safety first in the unloading procedure.

1. Check the unloading area for potential hazards before starting the back-up procedure. You must comply with all published and printed workplace safety regulations to prevent workplace accidents. This is part of risk prevention designed to lower insurance premiums by eliminating any unnecessary liability and / or workers’ compensation claims. It is true that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

two. Ask an observer to help you back up to avoid foreseeable accidents and / or injuries. If a spotter is not available, use orange or green safety cones, placing them at the rear corners of the trailer to alert any passerby that something dangerous is about to happen.

3. Check one more time to make sure no one is within 20 to 30 feet of the rear of the truck and then return to the cab.

Four. Check your rear view mirrors before backing up to make sure the area behind you is clear; turn on the hazard lights.

5. Depress the clutch and put the shift lever in reverse mode and release the clutch pedal slowly while applying pressure to the accelerator pedal.

6. Slowly back the truck to get as close to the edge of the dump site as possible when the material will be unloading.

7. Check and recheck the site while backing up, ensuring throughout the entire process that there are no bystanders within a 20 to 30 foot radius of the rear of the vehicle.

8. When in the correct location, shift into the park position, set the parking brake, and turn off the engine.

9. Go to the rear of the dump bed, unlatch or unlock the rear door. Engage the power take-off (PTO) to raise the truck bed and apply downward pressure on the brake pedal.

10. Honk the horn to make a loud sound when content begins to settle on the ground. This is to alert bystanders and staff that unloading of materials has begun. Many accidents occur during the unloading process due to inattention from bystanders who can be struck by flying debris from the truck bed as it is lifted to unload.

eleven. Depress the clutch pedal and shift into first gear, allowing the vehicle to crawl to fully discharge the material from the bed. Do not try to move the truck at a faster speed by pressing the accelerator and then pressing the brake pedal, as a sudden stop could damage the trailer or the tailgate.

12. When material is fully unloaded, disengage the power take-off (PTO) to lower the dump bed. When the body is fully lowered onto the truck frame, go to the rear and lock the liftgate latch lever to secure the liftgate. Now you can go back to the quarry for more material.

Operating a dump truck requires proper education, training, and vigilance. Workplace safety must be seriously maintained to control and eliminate avoidable workplace hazards. It is very important to maintain an injury-free work environment to avoid fines and penalties. Compensation claims and driver’s license revocation are common results of negligence. Following all of the steps above will help ensure a successful download experience!