INTRODUCTION Leaning heavily on the Best Standard Practices for transporting cargo as it obtains in many advanced countries of Europe and States of America where the fear of the law is the beginning of wisdom and where impunity and gross disregard for safety standards have been committed to the dustbin of history, we hereby present to you some of the […]
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The Hidden Costs of “Small” Collisions If they’re just scratches and dings, what’s the big deal? Fixed/stationary object collisions and backing collisions, while typically occurring at very low speed, can still be costly. The fact is the truck itself usually only sustains the scratches and dents due to the low speeds associated with these collisions. The same cannot be said […]
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Introduction On a single fact-finding trip to the Distribution Centre and Loading Bay of a major Manufacturing Company located somewhere in Lagos, Nigeria, the following notes were taken bearing in mind the issue that is about to be discussed in this paper: Two trucks had rammed their cabin into the height restraint bar located just before accessing the loading bay. Reason, […]
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There are three standard ways in which cargo of all categories can be transported: Condition 1: Cargo is fully contained by structures of adequate strength. Cargo cannot shift or tip Cargo is restrained against horizontal movement by vehicle structure or by other cargo. Horizontal movement includes forward, rearward, and side to side. Note: If the cargo is contained in a sided vehicle, the […]
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Understanding Securement System A securement system is a securement or retraining method that uses one or a combination of the following elements: Vehicle Structure Securing Devices Blocking and Bracing Equipment The choice among the above stated securement system must be appropriate for the cargo and this will be defined by the Cargo’s size, shape, strength, and characteristics. The Cargo to […]
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Understanding Cargo Securement: The guiding principle This principle states that Cargo being transported on the highway must remain secured on or within the transporting vehicle under all conditions that could reasonably be expected to occur in normal driving and also when a driver is responding in all emergency situations, EXCEPT when there is a crash. This is important because an […]
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INTRODUCTION In early February 2011, a truck conveying a 14-foot container fell and killed a man at the junction of the New Garage bus stop along Ikorodu Road in Lagos. On the 21st of November 2012, no fewer than three persons were crushed to death when a 40-feet containerized vehicle fell on a Mazda car along Badagry-Seme Expressway. On the […]
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Based on a rough estimate, Nigeria has over 5 million large trucks on the road. It’s no wonder then that we often find ourselves frustrated, stuck behind a tractor-trailer that is blocking our vision or waiting for a semi-truck to make a tight turn. The fact is, nearly 2,000 people were killed in large truck crashes last year and tens of […]
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CARS BESIDE TRUCKS Never, and I mean never, drive beside an eighteen wheeler for long periods of time. It is extremely dangerous. First off the wind turbulence is bad and absolutely can push you off the road or pull you into the truck if you are not watching! Also, if one of those tires does blow it can rip your […]
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OTHER FACTORS THAT CAN AFFECT ACCURACY OF WEIGHBRIDGE A credible weight system is essential for any industry using the measurement of weight as a benchmark for sale of a product. Understanding the factors affecting the accuracy of weighbridge systems is therefore considered vital if measurement errors are to be minimized. Whether weight, or volume calculated from a weight measure, is […]
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PROLOGUE: REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE ASSOCIATED WITH WEIGHING SYSTEMS Recently, a concrete making firm decided to overhaul the personnel manning its weighbridge system which had been installed for the purpose of receiving cement delivery, a critical raw material in its production process. The cement delivery to the firm usually comes in 30ton (approximate) bulk cement tankers. The findings they made in the […]
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Today, the White House Website released a Factsheet titled ‘Opportunity For All: Improving the Fuel Efficiency of American Trucks’ outlining President Obama’s plan to improve the fuel efficiency of American trucks through a number of deliberate action steps targeted at bolstering energy security, cutting carbon pollution and spurring manufacturing innovation. Details emanating from the factsheet indicated that Federal standards for […]
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