The Big 6: Ensuring Safety in Yard Management

Safety should always be the No. 1 priority in any industrial or logistics setting. This is especially true in yard management, where moving heavy equipment and goods poses significant risks to personnel and property. At Lazer Logistics, adhering to the Big 6 safety points is crucial to mitigate risks effectively.

1. Three Points of Contact

The concept of “Three Points of Contact” is fundamental to preventing slips, trips, and falls when entering or exiting vehicles and equipment. It means ensuring that a person always maintains three contact points with the vehicle or equipment and the ground. This could involve using two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand to ensure stability. By adhering to this practice, workers significantly reduce the risk of falls and related injuries.

2. Tug Test

Before any vehicle or equipment is moved, conducting a “Tug Test” is critical. After the initial connection is made with the trailer and fifth wheel, the tug test involves applying a slight forward force to ensure the connection between the two vehicles is a good one. This simple yet effective test helps prevent accidents caused by faulty or unverified connections

3. Visual 5th Wheel Inspection

The Visual 5th Wheel Inspection ensures the hitch mechanism is connected correctly and the truck and trailer are now safe to move. Not having a successful connection of the fifth wheel and king pin components can lead to catastrophic consequences on the road or in the yard. Daily inspections of the 5th wheel during the pre and post shift inspection process helps ensure it is free from wear, damage, or any other issues that could compromise its integrity to make and keep a good connection with the trailer.

4. Load Safety Strap

In most of our yard operating locations, our drivers are responsible for opening trailer doors prior to placing it in the dock area. To ensure that there is no loose freight, freight that has shifted and is leaning on the doors, or anything else in the back of the trailer that may fall out and injure the driver, we employ a load safety strap. This three-foot, heavy-grade strap is attached to the left and right doors before opening them. It allows the driver to safely inspect the load condition with just the right door open a foot or so. This simple action helps Lazer Logistics prevent potentially serious and life-changing injuries to our drivers due to falling freight or dunnage.

5. Secondary Securement

Employing secondary security measures to railer doors that are open adds another layer of protection in preventing accidents and injuries due to uncontrolled trailer doors. In addition to the chain or latch that the trailer manufacturer installs to hold a door open, Lazer Logistics also requires a second means to keep these doors in place. Our drivers place a piece of wire, twine, or bungee cord to the door post and attach the other end to the trailer side to ensure the doors stay in place while being docked or moved about the yard.

6. Five Foot Rule

The “Five Foot Rule” mandates the driver completely stop the vehicle five feet from approaching or connecting to any stationary object. This includes coupling to a trailer or finishing a yard move that places a trailer to the dock. This gives the driver a moment of pause to be sure that there is nothing or no one in between the soon-to-be moving vehicle and the stationary object. This is an important step to help keep our work area safe, as the yards are often busy with other vehicles and workers sharing the same space.

#SafetyFirst is a Commitment

Lazer Logistics significantly enhances workplace safety by emphasizing and implementing these Big 6 safety points in its yard management practices. Each point addresses specific risks and vulnerabilities associated with handling heavy equipment and goods, aiming to prevent accidents before they occur.

Prioritizing safety protects employees and assets and contributes to a more efficient and productive operational environment. Remember, in yard management, #SafetyFirst is not just a hashtag – it’s a commitment and Lazer core value to ensuring everyone goes home safely at the end of each day.