Have you ever heard or seen a truck pull out of the dock with the forklift still inside the trailer or the trailer move out of place because it was not properly secured? These accidents are unfortunately very common and end up with the forklift operator seriously injured, permanently disabled and could even cause death.

Annually more than 90,000 forklift-related injuries are reported. 7% of these accidents occur when the forklift is leaving the dock. It is for this reason that many companies have very strict accident prevention policies and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has imposed certain requirements in order to prevent these accidents.

There are four types of situations that cause this type of accident:

- Quick Exit: Occurs when the driver of a truck leaves unexpectedly while the forklift operator is still inside the trailer, entering the trailer or exiting it.

- Trailer dragging: Occurs when the truck is not secured to the dock and the trailer moves away from the dock when the forklift enters and exits the truck. The truck that is securing us tends to shift forward as the forklift enters and exits the trailer, creating a gap that can cause the forklift to tip over or fall.

- Trailer rollover: Trailer rollover is another common accident that is caused by the separation of the trailer from the dock and occurs when the landing gear of the trailer collapses and causes the trailer to tip over. This could damage or destroy the products on the trailer and, even worse, could seriously injure or kill the forklift operator.

- Trailer tail lift: Occurs when the trailer is not secured to the dock, and the weight of the forklift causes the other end of the trailer to move away from the loading dock and lift. All product inside the trailer is lifted and will slide down from the raised end. The forklift operator could be seriously injured, and all product on the trailer could be damaged or destroyed.

We recommend that you be careful when moving away from the dock. They must do it very carefully, open the windows, lower the volume of the radio to be able to warn if something happens or someone tries to warn of some danger. Make sure the brakes are installed correctly and chock the wheels. It is also highly recommended that the trailer is not very old, since over time the floor tends to weaken and this has caused accidents in which the forklift operator has fallen when the floor collapsed, causing serious injuries and even death. The more precautionary measures they take, the better. Have a blessed day and a safe journey.