LOWBOYS

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LOWBOYS
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Lowboys

• Lowboys are a type of flatbed trailer in which
  the load floor is as close to the ground as
  possible. Most commonly used to haul heavy
  equipment, cranes, bulldozers, etc.

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Lowboys

• There are two types of lowboys

• Front Loading

• Rear Loading

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Lowboys

• Deaths Involving Lowboys (1991-2004)
• 37 total Deaths
• 15 while loading, 12 while unloading, 10 during
  transport.

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Lowboy Precautions

• Majority of accidents involving lowboys occur
  when loading/unloading equipment.
• Special care must be taken to ensure the trailer
  is on a level area when loading or unloading
  equipment to prevent equipment from becoming
  unstable.
• Make sure nobody is in the area when unloading
  equipment.

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Lowboy Precautions

• When loading equipment make sure that the
  tracks/wheels of the equipment are centered on
  the trailer.
• Never load equipment onto the lowboy from the
  side.

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Lowboy Precautions

• When loading/unloading equipment near a roadway,
  place adequate warning signs to alert motorists.
• Do not load or unload equipment near overhead
  power lines.

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Lowboy Precautions

• Always secure the load on the trailer, even when
  transporting equipment short distances.
• When transporting equipment on a lowboy, make
  sure there is adequate clearance around the
  equipment so as not strike nearby workers or
  vehicles.
• Make sure the brakes on the lowboy and on the
  truck pulling the lowboy are properly adjusted.

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Lowboy Accident

• Worker was unloading a bulldozer off of a lowboy
  parked on a slope.
• When the worker began to back the bulldozer off
  of the trailer, the bulldozer tipped over and
  fell off the side of the trailer.
• When it began to fall the worker tried to jump
  from the bulldozer and was crushed when it fell
  off the side of the trailer.
• Worker was killed.

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Lowboy Accident

• Driver of truck bottoms out on a slight grade and
  breaks air hose that controls the brakes.
• The broken air hose causes the brakes on the
  trailer to lock up.
• Worker goes under the trailer to fix the brakes
  but does not put the parking brake on the
  trailer.
• When the worker fixes the air hose, the brakes
  are released.
• Worker is ran over and killed when the truck
  rolls down the road.

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Lowboys

• Many of the lowboy deaths are easily preventable.
• By following these simple safety precautions, the
  number of deaths can be greatly reduced.