BACKGROUND: A log truck left the landing fully loaded with hardwood pulpwood on a mild fall morning in the Appalachians. It was overcast, windy, and wet, following three days of rain.
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: The driver was in his early 50s and had over 20 years of log trucking experience.
UNSAFE ACTS AND CONDITIONS: The haul road had softened from the three days of rain. The shoulder was especially soft. The driver was not wearing a seatbelt, and his cab contained a thermos, a load-trimming axe, and other loose objects.
ACCIDENT: After traveling approximately 100 yards from the landing, the driver steered the truck toward the left shoulder of the woods road to help him negotiate an upcoming curve to the right. The tractor and trailer began to sink slightly. Then the soft dirt under the trailer tires collapsed, and the left shoulder of the road began to give way as the truck continued to move forward. The tractor and trailer overturned.
The nylon strap on the front bundle of wood failed, and the wood to rolled onto the ground. The wood on the back bunk remained strapped and in place even after the overturned trailer came to rest. There was no sign of fuel or oil leaking from the truck.
INJURY: The driver, who remained inside the truck, was knocked unconscious, and he received minor head injuries-perhaps from being hit by loose objects. After he awoke, he suffered temporary amnesia. Later, he underwent a check-up at the hospital where he was medically cleared. Costs to repair the damaged tractor and trailer exceeded $15,000.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CORRECTION:
- Be aware that road conditions may change dramatically after prolonged rains, especially with new roads that have not settled completely.
- Suspend hauling when a woods road will not hold up to heavy trucks, or take steps to improve the road base. Use good judgment and examine the stability of road edges before trying them out.
Wear seatbelts when driving. Secure loose, hard objects in the truck cab, or remove them.
Courtesy of the Forest Resources Association: https://www.forestresources.org/