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Idealease Safety Bulletin : Are your drivers operating their liftgate safely?

Dec. 3 2021 Miscellaneous By McCandless Idealease

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The Idealease Safety Bulletin for December 3rd, 2021, "Are Your Drivers Operating Their Liftgates Safely" is now available to read, download and share!

Read the entire bulletin below, download a PDF version, and be sure to sign up to have the weekly bulletin delivered straight to your inbox so you can view at your convenience! 

Remember to view past bulletins on the archive. 

In this issue:

  • Liftgate Safely: DOs and DON'Ts
  • DOT Clearinghouse Annual Query Deadline is Approaching Soon!
  • Are you a “New Entrant” to the FMCSA Regulations?
  • FMCSA Requires Annual Inspection of Rear Impact Guards

Register now for the last 2021 Idealease Fall Safety Webinar

Are Your Drivers Operating Their Liftgate Safely?

The safe operation of the liftgate is often overlooked in driver safety trainings.  There are numerous types of liftgates, each with their own hazards, so it is important that drivers learn how to safely operate them.  It is important to read the manual for the specific make and model to understand the overall operation, however, here are some basic Best Practices and safety tips for liftgate operation. 

Liftgate Safety - DOS AND DON'TS

Do:

  • Ensure drivers and/or operators are properly trained before operating the liftgate
  • Ensure the vehicle is properly and securely braked prior to using liftgate
  • Choose a level surface area whenever possible
  • Consider the safety and location of bystanders, as well as the location of nearby objects when operating the liftgate.  Stand to one side of the platform while operating the liftgate. 
  • Make sure the platform surface is clear of ice, snow and is kept slip-resistant
  • Keep hands and feet clear of all pinch points.  There is a shear or pinch point exposure during liftgate operations. Take note of where the liftgate and truck bed meet.  Feet and hands are particularly vulnerable, during the raising and lowering of the liftgate. 
  • Use chocks to prevent loads from rolling off the gate
  • Secure top-heavy loads with strapping to prevent the item from tipping or rolling off. 
  • Correctly stow platform when not in use.  Extended platforms could create a hazard for people and vehicles passing by
  • Make certain the platform is properly latched when in transit
  • Operated the liftgate with the control switches only
  • Read and follow WARNING DECALS, OPERATION DECALS and OWNER'S MANUAL
  • Visually inspect the liftgate daily as part of your pre-trip inspection
  • Write up any defects to the liftgate on your daily vehicle inspection report and report to Idealease maintenance personnel immediately.
  • Tell Idealease maintenance personnel when adjustment to liftgate is needed
  • Keep all decals in place and legible and retain the Owner's Manual in the vehicle.

DON'T:

  • Allow the liftgate to be used by anyone that is unfamiliar with its operation
  • Use the liftgate for any purpose other than to lift or lower cargo from the truck. Never use liftgates as personnel lifts
  • Use the liftgate if the unit shows signs of abuse or fails to operate freely. 
  • Permit the motor to run after the liftgate is raised to bed level
  • Overload the liftgate (Refer to the capacity chart for proper capacity f the liftgate)
  • Allow any part of your body to be placed under, within, or around any portion of the moving liftgate or its mechanisms, or in a position that would trap them between the platform and the floor of the truck body )or between the platform and the ground) when the liftgate is operating
  • Drive a forklift on the liftgate platform
  • Drive with the liftgate down. It must be folded up and secured before the truck moves. 

In addition, all of our Idealease preferred liftgate suppliers have safe operating videos available on their websites.  Click the links below to view the content from each supplier:

MAXON - www.maxonlift.com

ANTHONY - www.anthonyliftgates.com

WALTCO - www.hiab.com/en-us/products/liftgates

PALFINGER - www.palfinger.com/en-us/products/liftgates


DOT CLEARINGHOUSE ANNUAL QUERY DEADLINE IS APPROACHING SOON! 

The annual DOT Clearinghouse deadline is only a few weeks away, with annual queries for all DOT-regulated CDL drivers due by January 1, 2022.  If you have not yet run a query on each CDL driver you employ (including yourself if you are an owner-operator), you must do so by this date. 

Failure to run these annual queries could lead to fines of up to $2,500 per driver. 

In 2020 the system was overwhelmed by a large volume of traffic trying to register and login at the end of the year.  If this occurs in the weeks leading up to the deadline, it could make it difficult for employers to meet their requirements on time.  

Our suggestion? Take care of this requirement now before the surge occurs.  

ABOUT THE ANNUAL CLEARINGHOUSE QUERY

Starting this year, employers must run at least one Clearinghouse query on each of their CDL drivers annually, with the first query due by the first anniversary date of the Clearinghouse. You have the option of running either a full or a limited query, but if a limited query shows that there is information on a driver’s record, you will be required to run a full query within 24 hours. Failure to do so will result in the driver being pulled from safety-sensitive functions until you are able to run the full query.

Here are the differences in the queries:
A limited query is performed annually on existing drivers. The limited query simply alerts a motor carrier whether the driver has information in the database. Drivers sign a general consent of the motor carrier's making that is outside of the clearinghouse. Motor carriers may ask drivers to sign a consent that will work for more than one year, provided the release has an end date.

If a current driver has data in the clearinghouse, the employer must request a full query, which includes detailed information on the violation and any completed steps in the return-to-duty process. Motor carriers must also perform a full query as a part of the pre-employment process on new hires.

Due to the sensitive nature of the full query, the driver must have a portal account to electronically provide authorization. As a result, all applicants need a portal account, while existing drivers would only need one if a full query is necessary.

If a driver refuses to give permission to access his or her clearinghouse record (limited or full query), he or she cannot perform a safety-sensitive function such as driving.

Visit https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/ for more information

Are you a “New Entrant” to the FMCSA Regulations?

The FMCSA New Entrant Program Website will aid motor carriers in understanding their responsibilities as they work through the first 18 months of operation, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

The website will walk carriers through the new entrant process. Specifically, it:

  • Introduces companies to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs); and
  • Explains the Safety Audit which is performed by FMCSA and state partners as a means of monitoring safety compliance.

Through the outreach materials, FMCSA hopes new entrants will gain a better understanding of what is expected of them during this audit.

After a company successfully completes the New Entrant Program, the carrier will be monitored alongside other existing carriers through roadside inspections and state crash reports under FMCSA’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program.

VISIT THE NEW ENTRANT PROGRAM WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION


FMCSA REQUIRES ANNUAL INSPECTION OF REAR IMPACT GUARDS

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has published a final rule to include rear impact guards on the list of items that must be examined as part of the required annual inspection for each commercial motor vehicle.  86 Fed. Reg. 62105 (November 9, 2021).

Section 393.86 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations requires rear impact guards to be installed on most CMVs to reduce the incidence of passenger compartment intrusion during underride crashes in which a passenger vehicle strikes the rear of the CMV. In addition, every CMV must be inspected at least once every 12 months.

This final rule amends the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations to include rear impact guards on the list of items that must be examined as part of the required annual inspection for each CMV.  The new requirement goes into effect on December 9, 2021.



*The Idealease Safety Bulletin is provided for Idealease locations and their customers and is not to be construed as a complete or exhaustive source of compliance or safety information. The Idealease Safety Bulletin is advisory in nature and does not warrant, guarantee, or otherwise certify compliance with laws, regulations, requirements, or guidelines of any local, state, or Federal agency and/or governing body, or industry standards.