Construction Truck Drivers
Dump truck, ready-mix, flatbed and lowboy drivers face highway crashes, jobsite backing incidents, tip-overs while dumping, and falls from trucks and trailers.
- Construction
- Transportation
Top hazards
- Highway crashes, fatigue and distracted driving
- Backing over workers on site
- Dump body tip-overs and power line contact
- Falls while climbing on trailers, tarping loads or chaining equipment
- Load shifts from poor securement
Key practices
- Follow DOT hours-of-service and pre-trip inspection rules. See DOT Rules.
- Follow the site traffic plan; use spotters and stop if you lose sight of them. See Backing.
- Dump only on firm, level ground; look up before raising the bed. See Dump Trucks.
- Use automatic tarp systems or tarping stations with fall protection instead of climbing on loads.
- Use three points of contact getting in and out of the cab.
- Wear hi-vis and a hard hat when out of the truck on site.
Types of construction trucks
- Dump trucks and end dumps: tip-overs, raised beds and power lines. See Dump Trucks.
- Ready-mix trucks: top-heavy and prone to rollovers on curves and soft shoulders; chute and drum hazards.
- Lowboys and equipment trailers: heavy, oversize loads, chaining and permits. See Trailers & Towing.
- Flatbeds and boom trucks: load securement and crane operation. See Boom Trucks.
- Water trucks and fuel trucks: sloshing liquid loads and fueling hazards.
On the jobsite
- Ask for the site’s traffic plan: entry, haul roads, where to wait and where to dump.
- Stay in the cab during loading only if the cab is protected; otherwise stand clear where the loader operator can see you.
- Watch for workers on foot, especially rakers, pipe layers and grade checkers.
- Lower beds, chutes and booms before moving.
Pre-trip checklist
- Brakes, air system, tires, wheels and lights
- Mirrors and cameras clean and adjusted
- Backup alarm and horn working
- Coupling, chains, binders and tarps in good shape
- Dump body prop and hoist controls working
- Fire extinguisher and warning triangles on board
- Rested and fit to drive
For more on CDLs, inspections and hours of service, see the Commercial Trucks section.
Standards & references
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