Tip Me Up And Pour Me Out: Tipper Safety

25 July 2024

There are plenty of hazards you need to look out for when operating a heavy vehicle. Wet roads, large potholes, small cars and motorcycles darting in and out of lanes. Then there are the rural roads, and having to avoid wildlife that seemingly pop out of nowhere.

And that’s just on the road.

If you are driving a tipper, then not only do you need to worry about road safety, but also safety when operating the tipper.

Check and Inspect

One of the first things you will need to check before you get underway are your tyre pressures. It should be even and optimum on both sides and on dual wheels inner and outer to make sure they are loadbearing. 

Next is the tipper body. Make sure all the mechanisms of the tipper are in safe working order. Check the safety features, suspension and hydraulic systems before elevation.

Stability

Stability is the most affected and risk posing factor for a tipper. Make sure the ground is level, or has been levelled and compacted for the unloading and loading of the truck.

Loading

Any material that you load should be loaded evenly. Loading should begin with the material being loaded in the middle of the body then evenly to ensure the exact axle weights are achieved, If travelling between different states, make sure you are following the local laws on load capacities for axle weight and gross weight.

Unloading

When unloading your truck, the first thing you need to consider is stability. The area in which you will be unloading your tipper will need to be extremely stable, given how the load in the body will shift.

Given the height at which the tipper will be raised in order to unload, it is always recommended that you check for overhead powerlines before beginning. There have been many fatal accidents around tipper trucks where someone has not been looking out for powerlines.

If you are looking at adding another tipper or trailer to your fleet, feel free to contact us on 02 9631 9594, or you can fill out our online enquiry form here, and we will respond to you as soon as possible.