Dillon logistics summer of safety #2

To continue our Summer of Safety blog series, we want to remind our team of a simple, yet imperative rule of thumb whenever you are climbing in and out of your truck. A well-known concept in the industry, the three-point contact method is crucial for every truck driver. As a company serious about safety, it’s something we at Dillon Logistics enforce with all of our professionals.

“According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), slip and fall injuries are the third largest cause of workplace accidents and account for 15-20% of all workers’ compensations costs,” states an article written by the AF Group, an organization that offers innovative insurance solutions to keep workplaces safe.

Furthermore, another article by the Accident Fund, one of the nation’s leading workers’ compensation insurance organizations, quotes from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that “truck drivers had more non-fatal injuries that any other industry. More than half of those were sprains and strains caused in part by slip and falls while getting in or out of trucks.”

The simplest way to circumvent these accidents is by using the three-point contact method. With this approach, drivers must have three of their four limbs anchored to a point at all times (either two hands and a foot or two feet and one hand) when entering and exiting their truck, says the article by the AF Group.

With the three-point contact method, you will be essentially creating a triangle shape, and in order to establish the most stability, the center of the triangle should be near the same area as you center of gravity (view graphic for reference).

If your center of gravity is not lined up with the center of the triangle, it’s more likely you’ll move in a sideways motion and be knocked off balance, the article from Accident Fund conveys (see graphic for reference).

Check out some other helpful do’s and don’ts from the AF Group and Accident Fund.

Dos:

• “Enter and exit only when the equipment is stopped” - Accident Fund
• “Take extra care in wet, snowy or icy weather” - Accident Fund
• “Look for obstacles on the ground before exiting the vehicle” - AF Group
• ​Be aware of wet or slippery conditions or loose gravel on the ground prior to exiting the vehicle
  
• “Wear shoes with appropriate support and traction” - AF Group

Dont’s:

• “Don’t ever jump off a truck - landing exerts 12x your body weight on your joints” - Accident Fund
• “Don’t use tires or wheel hubs as a step surface” - Accident Fund
• “Never use the door frame or door edge as a handhold” - Accident Fund

At, Dillon Logistics, we care about overall safety just as much as we care about our drivers. We are serious about making your summer the safest one possible, and it can be accomplished with something as easy as the three-point contact method.