Driving over UN-marked trenches!!!

[544D10]

Excuse me for my ranting

I am currently working on a appartment complex, the layout of the buildings requires me to drive down a narrow alleyways with garages on both sides of the road (not paved, just dirt).

I have been avoiding going down this road since it has been raining all last week, but today we had to frame the second floors so I had to go in numerous times, everytime I kinda offset my path from the last time so I wouldnt run over the same place twice. Well this didnt last long because there are Friggin trenches everywhere.

What I mean by trench is a trench that has been compacted already, so you cant see them at all it just looks like a smooth dirt road. Imaging your driving on your jobsite and all of a sudden you machins sinks 3'. Now image your machine is carrying 5,000lbs, of studs or plywood ect. HANG ON!!!!

So I went to my foreman and told him to call the super and get some trench plates, 5 minuets later he calls me up and tells me that they dont think I need them so basically they said NO.

I know most people on this site are more related to moving dirt, snow, ect so let me explaine this more. My machine weighs 34,310 lbs empty with a max loaded weigh of 44,310 lbs., All this riding of 4 tires. Next week when I have to load roof trusses on the third floor the machine will basically be 8' wide and 54' tall, with 2,000lbs. of trusses hanging from two chains. During that kind of opperation even a 3" hole or bump is too much, let alone a Friggin 3' deep trench.

I am going to call our main office tomarrow and see what they can do. In my opinion if there isnt a truck load of plates there tomarrow they can get a new driver(by the way I'm the best they got).

Any help, opinions, or OSHA's phone # would be appreciated.
Who's right? Who's wrong? Who's responsible?

Thanks for letting me vent my frustrations.

 

[will_gurt]

If you think it is unsafe to do it DO NOT do it. One slip and you and whom ever you are lifting this material above could be injured or even worse KILLED!

All it would take is you falling into one of these trenches and that load shifting.

 

[digger242j]

What I mean by trench is a trench that has been compacted already, so you cant see them at all...

It's early here, and I'm not quite awake yet, but right off the top of my head I'd say that the trenches in question have not been "compacted". If they had, you wouldn't be sinking into them.

Advice? Hmmm...

Time is money. Get that puppy good and stuck with a load on it and have a carpenter crew standing around waiting for material...that might get the message across. On the other hand, if you're the best they've got, that answer probably isn't a viable alternative. The "best" know how not to get stuck, and pride themselves on that. Same goes for purposely sinking a tire in far enough to break a pipe or something--then the plumber thinks you're just "that jerk on the forklift" who's busting up his pipes, and you know he'd have a valid point.

I'm not sure OSHA would be any help. Unless you've already had someone hurt as a result of those conditions, they'd probably tell you it's *your* responsibility to not upset that machine. And if somebody had been hurt, it'd probably be called "operator error".

It's hard sometimes to stay professional when other people's work hurts you rather than helps. As far as calling the main office, make the case you've made here, and add the probability that doing nothing will result in costly downtime, or damage that's beyond your control. Maybe they'll understand, but unless you're talking to someone who's spent some time in the field, and knows what you're up against...

I hate to say it, but it looks like a no-win situation for you. :beatsme


(If you get no satisfaction, do feel free to come back and rant some more--"Misery loves company"--if nothing else, it'll make everybody else happy to know that we're not alone in dealing with the joys of a career in this business.)

 

[544D10]

Well I had a talk with the plumbing foreman and the super today:

As far as any pipe damage that is done it will not be our fault and he said he will check up daily to see if he thinks trench plates are required. (Saw a pipe marker strip in one of the trenches today, getting close)

It is also agreed upon that I can stop if I feel its unsafe (duh, was going to anyway) and if we have to we will rent a crane and bill the developer).


Time is definatly money, and the crane is $100.00 to show up, and then 100.00 per hour afterwards. I cant image trench plates cost that much.ointhead

 

[BRL]

In my experience on job sites the rule was always the operator was responsible for his machine & load. And if the operator wasn't comfortable with something, things were changed until the operator felt his machine was safe again. So I would say stick to your guns, because you will be blamed when the machine topples over ultimately, even though it is the uncompacted trench that causes it. Good luck.

 

[544D10]

Apparently these trenches are all over the job site. Today I had to pull out two loaded GMC Topkicks both burried up to the rear pumpkins. The first truck actually sheared off the U-joint yoke on the transmission. Too much CAT power:drinkup

 

[tylermckee]

Whats up with these trenches, are they filling them with some nice soupy muck or what?