Drivers' Corner - Caring in Action

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A driver had just finished unloading and went to move his tractor out of the dock area. As he approached the tractor, he reached for the hand rail and started to swing up into the cab. He reached with his left hand to open the door and, in the process, he neglected to set his foot properly and slipped to the ground.

Because his fall was not planned, he landed on his leg in an odd manor and immediately felt a major pain in his knee. Lying on the ground, he grabbed his knee and hung on; his mind was engulfed with excruciating pain.

The dock foreman called for an ambulance and he was taken to the hospital for x-rays and an examination. It was determined that he had damaged the ligaments in his knee and would need an operation to correct the damage. With a leg brace and crutch, he could get home for the operation.

Mounting tractors is something we take for granted when, in essence, we need to follow some guidelines:

• When you start to mount your tractor, you need to check your hand holds and steps to ensure they are clean.
• Thought must be given to the technique for mounting the tractor. Drivers assume it to be second nature to mount a tractor and little thought is given to the actual mount.
• Your shoes need to be clean from diesel, oil, and grease. Sneakers are comfortable but care must be taken when wearing them around heavy equipment.

Bottom line - The trip begins with the mount and ends with the dismount - be careful.

That's the way I see it - Bob Hataway - TransAlive.

Bob Hataway is president of TransAlive USA, an organization of 100,000 volunteers across America dedicated to serving drivers and their families in the transportation industry through their Caring in Action=Safety Program. They cover every zip code in the United States and move quickly to meet the needs of the drivers and their families when they experience an accident, illness, heart attack or even death on the highway. Call 800-USA-HURT for assistance.