NEW Toolbox Talks Topic! Vehicle Safety Inspections

	Jeff Kunkel

By Jeff Kunkel, Past Chair of the EA Board of Directors

Our service trucks are our life blood. They move our people, tools, and materials to where they need to go. Our customers rely on us to get them going in an emergency, and we need to rely on these vehicles to get us there to do just that.  Do you require your employees to do periodic inspections of your service vehicles? Are those required inspections pre-trip, daily, weekly, or some combination of that? Do you require written reports of these inspections to be turned in? Here are some things included in the new Toolbox Talk, which I also ask of my own employees.

Pre-trip, every trip. I believe any good driver is in the habit of giving their vehicle a look over before placing it on a public roadway. They would certainly notice something like fluid leaking, a broken light, or a flat tire. A good practice would be to walk all the way around the vehicle to make sure we see it from all sides. This will also let us see if anything is in a blind spot before we pull away. Other things that a good driver does every trip are check the fuel level, adjust the mirrors and controls, and make sure any load is secured.

Weekly, suggest Monday morning. Check the tires closely for signs of uneven wear or damage, and check that they are properly inflated. Check all fluid levels accessible from under the hood. Check that headlights and signal lights all function correctly. Check that all ladders are secure and conduit in open conduit racks is secure. Check when the next oil change is due and let someone know if the vehicle is due for service. That way we can schedule the vehicle for it’s spa day, and schedule something for you to do while the truck is being serviced.

Anytime you connect to a trailer. Check the tires on the trailer for signs of uneven wear or damage, and check that they are properly inflated. Check the hitch for signs of damage. Check the brakes and emergency brakes if applicable. Check chains, binders and ratchet straps for wear and make sure there is a sufficient quantity to secure the load.

With heavy trucks (over 26,000 LB GVWR) we use a formal pre-trip checklist, as required by MNDOT.

It’s important to communicate my expectations about vehicle inspections and safety to the employees, and it is extremely vital that I get feedback from them. It is frustrating to hear that something on a vehicle has been broken "all summer” or for "a long time.” Hearing phrases like these has caused me to adjust to being more pro-active, meaning I need to go out Monday morning and make sure those weekly inspections are being done. 

I’m wishing safe travels for you and your employees. Peace.

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