Source: CreativeNature nl (Envato Elements)
No one wants to be inside a semi trailer when it tips. That’s why it’s important to make sure every trailer is fully stabilized before being loaded or unloaded.
At its most basic, that means setting the brakes, deploying the trailer’s landing gear, and chocking the wheels to prevent the trailer from shifting out of place.
To make sure that the trailer is fully secured, you can also use a trailer stand for extra reinforcement. But that raises an important question: when should those stands be used?
What Are Trailer Stands?
When a semi trailer isn’t attached to a truck, part of that trailer is left unsupported. The back has wheels to stabilize it, but the front relies entirely on built-in landing gear to prop it up.
That landing gear is useful and essential, but it doesn’t always have the strength to prevent the trailer from tipping. That’s especially the case when heavy forklifts roll into the trailer to load or unload cargo.
Stands are designed to provide additional support. When the landing gear isn’t able to handle all the weight that’s put on it, the stand can help it hold the trailer up.
What Is the Difference Between a Jack Stand and a Trailer Stand?
- Jack stands work the way a car jack does, with a ratchet system that allows the height to be adjusted. It can be placed under the trailer, then set to the necessary height to support it.
- Trailer stands or stabilizers have a fixed height and are not adjustable. They have a lower load bearing capacity than jack stands.
When Should You Use a Trailer Stand?
Ideally, you would set up a trailer stand under any trailer that is uncoupled from a truck. At the very least, they
should be in place before anyone sets foot inside the trailer – or drives a forklift into it.
You simply never know when the truck’s landing gear will fail. Using a trailer stand means you won’t have to find out the hard way.
Moving heavy loads in or out of the trailer makes the stand even more important. So does adding lift trucks to the mix. Anything that adds extra weight to the trailer will increase the risk of tipping or the landing gear buckling under.
Unless you’re using wide stabilizers that provide support over a large area, it’s also recommended that you use two stands to prevent the trailer from tipping over on its side.
What Does OSHA Say About the Use of Trailer Stands?
OSHA addresses trailer stands in their 1910.178(k)(3) standard, which states that:
“Fixed jacks may be necessary to support a semitrailer and prevent upending during the loading or unloading when the trailer is not coupled to a tractor.”
In other words, it’s up to individual employers to ensure that semi trailers are secure and to take reasonable steps to prevent them from tipping.
At times, that may require the use of a trailer stand. Other times, it might not.
But why leave it up to chance?
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