Utility poles are heavy, long, and difficult to transport. So, naturally, you hire a company to haul these utility poles. But when you contract out the transportation, how much do you consider utility pole transport safety?
If the company you choose practices inadequate safety procedures, you will suffer costly consequences, from equipment damage to employee injury.
You may not be directly responsible for transportation anymore, but transportation safety is still your concern.
To ensure that the entire pole transport process is safe, you need to understand the safety risks and the important steps that can reduce those risks in utility pole transport.
Here are safety factors to consider when transporting utility poles.
What Are the Risks of Unsafe Transportation?
When transporting utility poles, there are many safety risks that you and your work crew face—so many that you might not recognize them all. These risks could occur at any moment in the hauling and unloading process, and unsafe practices simply increase the chance that they will occur.
So, here are some risks to look out for.
Employee Injury
Perhaps one of the most consequential risks of unsafe utility pole hauling is the risk of employee injury.
Whether it is manual labor, operating large machinery, or directly handling a utility pole, your employees risk injury continually while working with the transportation company. They could strain their muscles from labor, fall from the equipment, get caught between machinery, be hit by materials, or inhale toxic chemicals.
All these injuries could come about from a transportation company’s bad practices. So, you must protect your employees by ensuring that your transportation company mitigates all possible risks.
Equipment and Material Damage
When a transportation company operates in an unsafe manner, you also risk equipment and material damage. On the highway, the materials could be damaged in an accident if a driver doesn’t follow proper highway safety. Or they could be damaged if the transportation company does not properly maintain their equipment.
As for equipment, it can be damaged in unsafe unloading practices. Most frequently, this occurs when a transportation company does not unload the materials for you, so you have to use equipment that might not be designed to unload the materials. Or you must use equipment operators who are unfamiliar with unloading and accidentally damage the equipment in the process.
Project Delays
Unsafe practices also risk project delays. When someone gets hurt or a piece of equipment breaks down, the entire project comes to halt. It can take a while for the project to resume again as well.
Of course, a project delay is the last thing you want to deal with as you are on a tight deadline and budget. It is especially frustrating when a separate company causes your project delay. So, you want a transportation company that will prioritize your utility pole hauling safety, and ensure that your project can proceed without delay.
Lawsuits
If unsafe practices in transportation damage property or harm individuals, your company could be facing lawsuits. Not only does that cause a project delay, but it will damage the reputation of your company and could shut down your company for good.
Even if your company was not the one hauling, you may still have negative reproductions from a lawsuit. With that risk, it is best to remain blameless and practice safe utility pole transportation from the beginning.
Truck Driver Safety
As many risks could result from unsafe utility pole transportation, you must find a transportation company that prioritizes truck driver safety.
A safe truck driver will understand safe speed limits in driving, what weather conditions warrant pulling over, and how to appropriately monitor blind spots. Such a driver will work to prevent accidents, follow all local and state hauling regulations, and deliver your materials without delay.
When working with a transportation company, you want more than just certified drivers. You want drivers who have years of experience and who will work with you directly to haul your utility poles safely.
Unloading Safety
If your transportation company safely hauls your materials but leaves the unloading to you, they have not completely provided for your safety. Unloading utility poles can be dangerous, especially if you do not have the equipment or experience to do so.
When your crew has to work next to those massive poles, they risk all the safety concerns we discussed previously: injury to themselves or others, equipment or materials damage, project delays, and potential lawsuits.
The safest option is a self-unloading utility hauling company. This company will do all the unloading work for you so that your crew can stay safe.
Of course, you must ensure that this company still prioritizes safety as they unload. They should have safety procedures in place to protect their drivers, their equipment, and your materials. They should also keep the unloading equipment in peak condition. With regular maintenance, the equipment is less likely to break down and create safety hazards.
Dedication to Safety at Blackwood Resources
Safety should be your top priority when it comes to utility pole hauling, and Blackwood Resources understand that commitment. So, we work tirelessly to ensure that our transportation services are safe for your utility crew and our truck drivers.
In our safety culture, we only recruit truck drivers with track records for safety, and we provide comprehensive safety training for all our drivers, so they are prepared to haul your materials carefully. We also follow all the state and local highway laws to keep everyone safe on the road.
When our drivers arrive at your work site, they take the extra step to keep your crew safe by unloading the utility poles for you. You do not have to use rented equipment or untrained operators. Instead, you can stay safe as our trained operators use our high-end, specialty equipment to unload the poles.
Finally, we keep all our equipment in peak condition with regular maintenance and inspections, so it is always ready to serve you.
We have service areas across the United States, so if you’re ready for safe utility pole transportation, contact Blackwood Resources at jamie@blackwoodresources.com or 812-676-8770 today!
