Managing the risks of road service

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Big Jim’s acts small and sells big

Road service safety Managing the risks of road service

Techs must recognize hazards and take steps to prevent accidents

By Kevin Rohlwing

During a conference in Europe last year, I had the opportunity to discuss the commercial truck tire business with a tire dealer from Israel. He had some questions about training and what started as a simple inquiry evolved into a chance for both of us to learn more about how truck tires and wheels are serviced in our respective countries.

Among the things that he found fascinating was the role of the service vehicle in North America. Most European road service vehicles are things of beauty with compressors, generators and tire machines. The machines literally fold out to the side so the technician can demount and mount the tire and barely break a sweat. When he learned that service trucks on the other side of the Atlantic still required the technician to do everything by hand (except farm and OTR), he wondered out loud how we could find people to work like that.

The truth is we don’t have much of a choice. Between the number of trucks needed to cover such a large area and the popularity of mounted tire programs, the economics of replacing cargo area with a machine will never add up. Commercial tire dealers need trucks that can deliver and pick up different quantities of tires while simultaneously acting as road service vehicles. It’s a totally different business over here in almost every aspect, so the manual labor component is one that will never be completely erased from the equation.

In order to meet the needs of the largest fleets, dealers have to deliver tires and perform on-site service on a regular basis. Without the versatility of these service trucks, the North American commercial tire business grinds to a halt.

Since the trucks serve two purposes, employers must address all of the risks associated with operating a fleet of road service vehicles. Emergency road service presents the greatest degree of risk without a doubt. When an employee is working on the side of a street, road or highway, passing traffic creates a higher level of hazards. That is the primary reason why technicians are advised to park the service truck behind the disabled vehicle. When the service truck is behind the disabled vehicle and the amber beacon and strobe lights are activated, it should be a sign to oncoming traffic that there is an active work zone on the shoulder. I say “should” because I’ve had to dodge my share of right lane drivers who refused to move over and give me space to work. Parking the service truck in front of the disabled vehicle may seem like it shields the technician, but it actually increases the risks because oncoming traffic will not recognize the presence of someone working on what appears to be a truck stopped on the shoulder.

With the service truck safely parked behind the disabled vehicle with the amber beacon and strobe lights activated, the primary danger zone is between the two vehicles. Again, the service truck is not a shield, it’s more like a battering ram. I investigated a fatal accident on an interstate highway a few years ago where the technician was working between the service truck and the disabled vehicle parked directly in front of it. A passing truck hit the back of the service truck and drove it under the trailer, crushing the technician. He never had a chance. Making matters worse was the fact that there was limited shoulder space on that stretch of highway and there was an exit ramp just a few hundred feet ahead. If the disabled truck had literally moved 500 feet forward, the entire accident could have been avoided.

High visibility clothing is a necessity whenever servicing tires on the side of our nation’s highways.

Looking back, there were definitely instances where I should have refused to service the tires unless the vehicle was moved. Road service technicians must be trained to analyze the situation in order to determine if the tires can be serviced safely and if they decide that it’s too dangerous, management must back them when they tell the driver the vehicle has to be moved. There will always be exceptions, but in the case of the accident that I investigated, both tires on the dual were shredded so moving it forward a few hundred feet would not have created any additional costs for the customer.

Even if it does destroy what would be an otherwise repairable tire, it’s not worth someone’s life. Too many unnecessary chances are taken because the technician does not exercise his right to have the driver move the vehicle. Management has

Setting up the reflective triangles is not an option. Exit ramps like this one are good locations to service tires.

to make sure that every road service technician knows they non-existent. Likewise, reflective warning devices must be can make that request and if the driver refuses, then it needs placed on the shoulder as another warning to oncoming to become someone else’s problem. traffic. Technically, the driver should already have them out,

When faced with moving the truck or sitting on the side but when they are not in place, the technician must take the of the road for another hour or two waiting for someone else time to protect himself before attempting to service any tires who might make the same request, I want to believe that most on the side of a road. Either way, federal law requires the drivers will move the truck. placement of warning devices within 10 minutes of stopping

If the technician determines that the tire or tires can be on the shoulder (49 CFR Part 392.22). It needs to be the serviced safely, the next step is to ensure visibility. At a minimum, first thing that is done after a technician steps out of the cab a reflective vest should be worn at all times. More and more when reflective triangles or warning devices are not in place. commercial tire dealers are incorporating reflective material Once the job site is under control, the actual service creates into pants, shirts and jackets. If you’ve ever seen Matt White a whole new set of hazards, especially if the tires in need of with the Tire Industry Association conduct a training class service are on the driver’s side. Again, if the position of the in the field, he takes high visibility to the extreme. I’ve often vehicle creates an unsafe situation in any way, the technician joked that you could see him from space, but that’s the whole point. Matt knows the dangers of working on the side of the road, in a parking lot or on a job site. High visibility clothing gives him an extra level of protection so most drivers should see him before it’s too late.

Another level of visibility is associated with the service truck and the work area. Besides the amber beacon and strobe lights, reflective tape is another effective device for warning oncoming traffic. A few strips of reflective tape on the rear of the service truck are going to make a major difference, especially during dawn, dusk This is a perfect example of a truck that needs to be moved in order to service the and night-time hours when driver’s side tires. There isn’t enough room on the shoulder to move over and the twonatural light is minimal or lane highway puts the technician directly in the traffic lane.

wheel service creates any hazards. I’ve installed and removed a 30-pound impact wrench just a few feet from passing traffic. If there isn’t enough room for the driver’s side tires to be serviced safely, then the vehicle has to be moved. We have to change the culture of servicing the tires wherever the vehicle is parked. It can and must be moved if necessary. That same theory applies when there is insufficient room on the passenger’s side. Getting stuck between a concrete retaining wall and a vehicle after it has been struck from behind is not an ideal situation. If the tire(s) needing service is (are) on the right side of the vehicle, there

Consideration must also be given to the location where the demounting, mounting and inflating will occur. Technicians should never work in the kill zone between the stopped vehicle and the service truck. You are blind because you cannot see oncoming traffic and deaf as a result of the engine and compressor noise in that space. In a perfect world, there is sufficient room on the right side of the service truck where the technician can safely service the tire and wheel while still maintaining a line of sight with oncoming traffic. If there isn’t room to the right of the service truck, then the next safest place would be directly behind the service truck. It all comes down to visibility and line of sight. When working behind the service truck in high visibility clothing, passing motorists are more likely to (hopefully) see the technician and either move over or slow down. If the technician always keeps his back to the service truck when demounting, mounting or inflating the tire(s), then he can more easily see a vehicle drifting onto the shoulder and get out of the way. In the end, it’s a total judgment call for the technician on the side of the road. Did the technician know what to look for? Did the technician understand the risks of servicing a tire in that position on that particular stretch of highway? Do they know the industry best practices for assessing a job Always make sure you are facing traffic when working on moving the vehicle? A lot of questions get asked after there is a tire or wheel end so you can see oncoming cars. an accident. The bottom line will eventually be whether or not needs to ask the driver to move it to a safer location. I wish I it was preventable. Either way, it probably involves a serious could say contact the state police and ask for traffic control, but or fatal injury so the human cost can never be understated. I know that such a request has been submitted to every state The best decisions are made when all of the factors have police department without one return response. It appears been considered. Road service technicians must be trained that “you’re on your own out there when it comes to tire to recognize the hazards before they result in an accident and service unless it’s blocking a lane.” The risk to the technician then take the appropriate steps to protect themselves and cannot be understated when working on the side of a road or passing motorists. highway. Even the smallest mistake can be fatal when passing In part two of this article, we will look into hazards associated traffic is at highway speed. with the greatest risk of emergency road service — actually

The first question that needs to be answered is whether the driving a company service truck! ■ my share of driver’s side truck tires on the side of a highway, so Kevin Rohlwing is the Tire Industry Association’s senior vice I have firsthand knowledge of the anxiety when you’re holding president of training. site on the side of the road? Did they even have the option of must be enough space to safely Even when working in a parking lot, it’s still a good practice to set up reflective warnwork on the wheel end(s). ing devices like these orange cones so traffic is aware of the work area.