T-1430 Heavy vehicle rollover prevention program

1. T-1430 Heavy vehicle rollover prevention program This work has been produced by DGL (Aust) Pty Ltd 12/07/2006 Rev B

2. Before you get started • It is important that you complete all sections in this learning tool as it has been designed so that • You can abide by the procedures of our organization. • You can apply what you have learnt in this package in your day to day activities • This Learning Tool is designed to be relevant only to DGL (Aust) Pty Ltd employees and only applied whilst employed with DGL (Aust) Pty Ltd • You may have already acquired knowledge in the area identified in this package as you may have completed some specialized training. Or you may have been working within the industry for some time. Should you identify any improvement opportunities in the information contained in this package or have difficulties completing the package please contact National Training and Compliance Manager DGL (Aust) Pty Ltd PO BOX 1594 EAGLE FARM QLD 4009 Ph 07 3868 1001 Fax 07 3868 1055 12/07/2006 Rev B

3. Aims to - • Create awareness to all stakeholders • Preserve driver • Reduce resultant trauma • Improve productivity • Reduce impact on environment • Reduce impact on community 12/07/2006 Rev B

4. Factors that influence roll-overs There is a lot of factors, this training package focuses on the items listed below in red • Camber change in turn • Road litter • Engine failure • Missed gear • Inappropriate selection • Lane change downhill • Suspension • Tyre condition • Tyre pressure • New tyres • Axle alignment • Suspension type • Time pressure • Other road users • Mobile phones • Road knowledge • Centrifugal Force Roundabout size Round-A-Bout Camber Lack of time intersection Intersection size Tight Corners Wrong Camber Road condition On ramps Off ramps Load location Load viscosity Load packing Low tare weights Gross weight Load heights Bed heights Trailer format Gravity Speed Changing direction Acceleration. Driver experience. Sloshing. Load movement. Type of load. Restraints Friction Centre of Gravity Driver alertness Sun Wind Brake condition Couplings Number of trailers 12/07/2006 Rev B

5. Roll Over facts • More than half truck driver deaths are due to rollovers. • Most rollovers are entirely preventable. • Advisory speed signs on highways are meant for cars, and are not safe for high center of gravity vehicles such as tankers. • Rollovers are mostly caused by one thing: EXCESSIVE SPEED 12/07/2006 Rev B

6. Primary Causes of rollovers 1. Entering a curve at too high a speed 2. Swerved to avoid an obstacle 3. Fatigue, fell asleep, drove off the road 4. Stopping or parking on a soft surface 5. Truck improperly loaded 6. Sudden maneuvers due inattention to the road. 7. Driver distracted, drifted off the road MOST OF THESE CAUSES ARE AVOIDABLE 12/07/2006 Rev B

7. Video of load restraint test • The following video shows a vehicle test for load restraints, • The vehicle is travelling at 56 klm an hour It is not a test for a roll over. 12/07/2006 Rev B

8. Load restraint test video 12/07/2006 Rev B

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11. The forces to loads centrifugal 20 T Centre of gravity suspension friction gravity 12/07/2006 Rev B

12. The physics of roll overs Rollovers can be categorized into two types: • Tripped,where the vehicle leaves the roadway and slides sideways digging it’s tires into soft soil, or where it hits an object such as a guardrail or curb. The high tripping force causes a rollover. • Untripped,where the vehicle does not hit an object, but rolls over due to centrifugal force, usually during high speed turns or sudden steering maneuvers. Tankers with a high center of gravity are more prone than passenger cars to untripped rollovers. 12/07/2006 Rev B

13. Speed and Centrifugal force If a vehicle is forced to take evasive action, these forces are further multiplied. What to do: If you double your speed, the overturning force will be four times higher. As the speed increases the trailer tracks wider and forces increase on rear axle. This means that a slight increase in speed can be critical. 12/07/2006 Rev B

14. The effect of road camber • Road camber is the slope built into road surfaces to assist water run-off and to reduce rollover tendency on turns. • When traveling straight, road camber will result in the gravitational forces moving outwards, increasing the chances of a rollover, (red arrow).On a properly cambered turn, at the design speed, the centrifugal forces will result in the gravitational effect returning to normal, (green arrow). • However at speeds above or below the road design speed, the forces will not be in balance and there will be a tendency to roll into the turn (below design speed) or out of the turn (above design speed). 12/07/2006 Rev B

15. The effect of poor maintenance • Poor truck maintenance can reduce handling ability and reduce the speed at which a rollover can occur. • Under or over inflated tires reduce truck handling ability, especially in turns. • Incorrect brake adjustment and improper balance between prime mover and trailer brakes can increase the chance of a rollover. • Poorly adjusted and worn suspension components, broken spring leaves reduce handling ability 12/07/2006 Rev B

16. Video of centrifugal forces • The following slide contains a video demonstrating centrifugal force acting on a truck as it turns. Both speed and change in direction create this force, but you can clearly see, that it is only a marginal increase in speed and angle compared to the truck that negotiates the bend safely. • Run the video twice, and try to pick out where the truck corrected the second time which was a 30cm movement, look at the white line width for a guide 12/07/2006 Rev B

17. Video of centrifugal forces 12/07/2006 Rev B

18. Vehicle roll over on a corner • The following slide has a video and is an example of centrifugal force at speed, not speeding. • The driver is travelling the same speed as the other cars, The drivers is just going to fast for his load and road conditions ‘inappropriate speed’ . • It is clear that the rear trailer bogie is off the ground even before you can see it. By the time he is in the centre of the picture, the truck is beyond saving and a crash is inevitable. 12/07/2006 Rev B

19. Video of roll over 12/07/2006 Rev B

20. A vehicle can roll travelling in a straight line • Now that you have all the dynamics forces in mind, and you think you have it under control, along comes the environment. The following slide has a movie of a light load going over. 12/07/2006 Rev B

21. Video of Roll over 12/07/2006 Rev B

22. All this leads to the ‘1k’ factor Summary of the forces We have fixed forces such as gravity and friction, which will always be there. There are dynamic forces such as centrifugal force, which is dependant on rate of change of direction and speed, and add Centre of Gravity Then the dynamic c forces which are affected by the dynamic forces above but react differently and independently 12/07/2006 Rev B

23. Forces….summary • Fixed, constant types - gravity • Dynamic truck forces – centrifugal, speed, COG • Dynamic load forces, compounding on the truck • Unknowns … environment, other road users, 12/07/2006 Rev B

24. Case study • The following slides contain information of an actual study into an event of a roll over • The vehicle involved in this event is not a DGL vehicle 12/07/2006 Rev B

25. Load restraint issue, caused a rollover Why Driver had not carted this load before High COG load (2 more packs than normal) Load restraint and movement Suspension tilt New tyres Truck had minor change of direction Fatigue Negotiated corner at approximately 85kmh as usual Corner had developed bumps just prior to apex 12/07/2006 Rev B

26. Corrective actions from incident Induction and mentoring program for drivers All company personnel have attended a rollover awareness course Drivers retrained on load restraint and re-tensioning of straps Loading and restraint methods are being reviewed by all parties in the transport chain 12/07/2006 Rev B

27. What can you do? Be aware of the limits, not just your job Back off more from the limits, not just speed Educate others, this is not a driver problem alone 12/07/2006 Rev B

28. Key points • As little as 1 kph extra will make you roll over • If you are aware, and you add more than the 1kph space, that is give yourself decent headroom to allow for unknowns, you will get home without a roll over 12/07/2006 Rev B

29. Even with the best technology A trailer design with low center of gravity and good rollover stability will help in raising the critical speed when a rollover may occur. Electronic Stability control will help in avoiding a rollover in high speed situations. But…… it all comes down to the driver • Drive at speeds which are safe for the situation, • Don’t rely on the technology to protect you. • Slow down, stay alert, remain in control. 12/07/2006 Rev B

30. The Primary Causes of Rollovers Let’s analyze how we can prevent a rollover in each of these seven situations: • Entering a curve at too high a speed • Swerved to avoid an obstacle • Fatigue, feel asleep, drove off the road • Stopping or parking on a soft surface • Truck improperly loaded • Sudden maneuvers due inattention to the road. • Driver distracted, drifted off the road 12/07/2006 Rev B

31. Entering a turn at too high a speed • Slow down on turns and curves, at least 10 KPH below the posted advisory speed. • Always use the speedometer to know your speed. Check your speed before you come to the curve. • Do not judge your speed by what it feels like, you will probably be wrong. • After driving for a long time at highway speeds, you become used to the speed and you generally under-estimate your actual speed. It may “feel” like you are doing 80 KPH, but in fact you are probably going 10-15 KPH faster. 12/07/2006 Rev B

32. Swerving to avoid obstacles Making sudden maneuvers at speed with a high center of gravity truck is asking for a rollover. It may be instinctive to turn sharply to miss an obstacle, especially if it’s a person, so don’t put yourself into a position where this is necessary. Always leave yourself plenty of clear vision ahead. Maintain plenty of following distance (at least four seconds) Plan an escape route. if you can’t foresee a clear safe exit, slow down and increase your following distance. 12/07/2006 Rev B

33. Fatigue, Fell asleep, Drove off the road As a professional driver, you have been taught the angers of fatigue, and you are expected to report for duty in a fit condition to drive, so: • Get sufficient rest before you commence driving. • Observe the fatigue laws. • Take your on-road rest breaks And if you feel drowsy, STOP, for your own safety and the safety of the other road users. 12/07/2006 Rev B

34. Stopping or parking on soft surfaces • Road side verges are not usually meant to carry the load of a heavy truck. If one axle group subsides into a soft surface, gravity takes over, and the truck will end up on it’s side. Plan where you pull off the road to stop. Look for paved or other hard surfaces. Avoid unmade surfaces. Choose a flat area. 12/07/2006 Rev B

35. Don’t park near ditches and excavations • Leave plenty of space between the offside of your truck and a ditch or a roadside excavation. AVOID: • Soft shoulders • Sloping surfaces • Water-logged surfaces • Embankments 12/07/2006 Rev B

36. Truck improperly loaded • Incorrect load restraint can result in load shift and during a turn and this increases the centrifugal force, and can cause a rollover, even at speeds as low as 15 KPH. • An unbalanced load, especially with full rear compartments and empty front ones, will result in reduction in steering, and can cause “fish-tailing”and loss of control resulting in a rollover. • Leave with a balanced load, and if doing multiple drops, plan the drops so that the truck axle loadings remain balanced. 12/07/2006 Rev B

37. Sudden Maneuvers due to Inattention to the Road Sudden sharp turns at too high a speed are sure to cause a rollover. Driving is a full time job, keep your attention on the road and the area ahead. •Never let yourself get into a situation where because of inattention, you have to make a sudden steering adjustment. •If you do leave the paved surface, don’t swing back sharply. Reduce speed, and when slowed turn gradually back onto the road. •Always maintain the big picture, then there won’t be any surprises, and you’ll have time to brake or make a smooth turn if you have to avoid an object. 12/07/2006 Rev B

38. Driver distracted, drifted off the road. Don’t be distracted by things that happen or things you see either inside or outside the cab. • At 100 KPH, your truck travels around 26 metres in one second. That’s more than enough time for your truck to drift off the road onto the verge, and it can be very difficult to recover, especially if the ground is soft, or sloping. • Ensure all objects carried in the cab are secured. • Ignore external objects that are irrelevant to your driving, such as advertising signs, nice views and the general surroundings. • Never let yourself get into a situation where because of inattention, you have to make a sudden steering adjustment. • Always maintain the big picture, then there won’t be any surprises, and you’ll have time to brake or make a smooth turn if you have to avoid an object 12/07/2006 Rev B

39. Test your knowledge • Through the following slides you will be asked an number of questions to show that you have understood the content of this learning tool • Please record your answer on the training form F-260. • You will be required to submit the answers to the DGL HSEQ unit

40. Question 1 In one second a vehicle travelling at 100 kph will travel a) 26 Metres b) 16 metres c) 6 metres 12/07/2006 Rev B

41. Question 2 When entering a curve an operator should slow down at least, a) at least 10 KPH below the posted advisory speed b) at least 5 KPH below the posted advisory speed 12/07/2006 Rev B

42. Question 3 As the centre of gravity increases then so does the risk of vehicle roll over a) True b) False 12/07/2006 Rev B

43. Question 4 Road camber allows trucks to travel the same speed as cars when going around corners a) True b) False 12/07/2006 Rev B

44. Question 5 Inappropriate speed is a contributing factor in vehicle roll overs • a) True • b) False 12/07/2006 Rev B

45. Additional information 12/07/2006 Rev B