Tip Sheet: Yard Tractors and Harm Factors

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  Washington (State). Department of Labor and Industries
• Description:
  Yard tractors are known by different names: terminal tractor, hostler, spotter truck, yard truck, yard jockey, yard goat, or mule. Whatever you call them, operating yard tractors where vehicle and pedestrian traffic merges puts their drivers at the center of hazardous conditions that can injure or kill. Use these tips to keep your employees safe when operating or working near yard tractors. TIPS TO LIVE BY: Always operate tractor according to manufacturer's instructions. Make sure the cabover is locked down. If it must be tilted forward, prop it with the safety bar. Never put your body under a raised fifth wheel unless the boom is properly blocked. Make sure tractor fifth wheel and trailer king pin are locked before moving. Use 3 points-of-contact when climbing the vehicle. Perform a full pre-trip inspection before operating the tractor. Start and stop tractor movement slowly and obey all traffic rules and signs. Stay in designated travel lane and allow plenty of room for other equipment and pedestrian traffic. When traveling, check wall mirrors for bystanders or pedestrians around corners. Keep a clear view of travel and use a spotter where view is obstructed or has blind spots. Make sure travel areas are always well lit. Wear high-visibility reflective clothing. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Safety
• Keywords:
  Equipment Maintenance Equipment Operation Equipment Operators Hazards Injuries Injury Prevention Personal Protection Personal Protective Equipment PPE Safety Measures Safety Practices Truck Drivers Trucking Visual Fields

  More +
• Publisher:
  Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Fact Sheet
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 10 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20058826
• Citation:
  Olympia, WA: Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, 90-133-2020, 2020 Feb; :1
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2020
• Performing Organization:
  Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Tip sheet: yard tractors and harm factors
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:87dda8b3d6cce55794905d7ac77d6fe2e98d20dfb8fe837cb75113e869f7536003dfd88816ae32a21fd42039e383df2464913b424b1ecaf7f27feeef5274f1f4
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/223217/cdc_223217_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 855.71 KB ]