How Truckers should keep their garage or shop

from Professional Safety

Most truckers of any size have a garage or shop to repair and maintain their equipment. Part of their requirements with the Department of Transportation is that they must maintain within published guidelines their equipment- so many try to do so at their terminal or office.

There is a general liability exposure and in certain cases a garage liability exposure when the insured has a garage or shop.

Most agents are unaware of what to advise an insured as to how to create a Best Practices approach to safety at the garage or shop. Most housekeeping safety hazards fall into one of two categories: unsafe acts and unsafe conditions.Statistics show that for every mishap caused by unsafe conditions, roughly four are caused by unsafe acts. So, it makes sense to be constantly aware of hazardous housekeeping conditions -- and actions -- both on and off the job.

So what should a trucker do? Try the following:


􀀻 Keep your surrounding work area safe.
􀀻 Keep your tools and working materials off the floor.
􀀻 Use designated storage locations for materials and tools.
􀀻 Keep briefcases, handbags & other obstacles out of the aisles.
􀀻 Shut the file and desk drawers when they’re not in use.
􀀻 Clean and properly maintain all safety gear.
􀀻 Wipe up all spills immediately.
􀀻 Stack materials properly.
􀀻 Remove or repair all unsafe conditions if you are authorized to
do so.
􀀻 Keep your work area secure.
􀀻 Lock up before you leave.
􀀻 Return all keys to authorized personnel.
􀀻 Make a daily inspection of your work area and department.
􀀻 Be alert to housekeeping hazards and accumulation of
combustibles that could cause a fire.
􀀻 Make sure hazardous materials are properly labeled and stored
so that labels can be seen. Guard against exposure of
flammable and combustible materials to any heat source.
􀀻 Put oil-, paint-, and grease-soaked rags, shavings & other highly
combustible waste in the proper waste receptacles.
􀀻 Clean up safely. Never use alcohol, gasoline, or other
flammable liquid as a cleaning agent, and make sure that all
flammable liquids are stored away from direct heat and are in
proper containers.
􀀻 Never block fire doors, fire extinguishers, warning signs, or
emergency exits.
􀀻 Always report these housekeeping hazards:
􀀱 Wet walkways
􀀱 Loose or torn carpeting
􀀱 Chipped tiles
􀀱 Holes, trenches, open manholes
􀀱 Loose tread on stairs
􀀱 Objects left in aisles
􀀱 Cables, hoses, or cords stretched across walkways
􀀱 Poorly lit walkways or stairwells
􀀱 Unsafe tools and equipment
􀀱 Blocked emergency exit(s)