 Back in the horse and buggy days, men built roads with shovels and picks that they carried to work on their backs. I don't need to tell you that those bays are long gone. Today, road construction uses some of the largest machines ever built, and every single one of them has to be transported to the work site. Graders, unloaders, excavators, dozers, scrapers, they all require special transportation and handling. And if it's your job to get them on site safely, you need to take some extra precautions. Each and every step of the way can be hazardous if you don't follow the safety rules. And believe me, nothing will spoil your day faster than having something like a D9 fall from the back of a truck. The first step in any move is to get the equipment loaded on the truck. Now you may think that's a pretty simple process, but when what you're moving is a 25-ton crane, it has to be done very carefully. To begin with, visibility on those big rigs can be pretty limited. The driver is going to be relying on you to make sure that it's lined up with the ramps. This is a ticklish business, and it doesn't pay to rush it. If you get it wrong and the machine starts to slip, well, you better be clear of the area because you're not going to stop it. As a big piece of gear starts up the ramp, its center of gravity is going to shift. This is probably the most dangerous part of the process. If it gets too far out of whack, that crane, that dozer, that excavator is going over and there's not a power on earth that's going to stop it. That's why it's so important to make the loading area as level as possible. It pays to take a few extra minutes to get everything in the right position before you start. Where this really pays off is when you have a wide load on a narrow trailer. In this case, most of the weight will be hanging over the edge. It doesn't take much of a mistake to bring the whole thing crashing down. Of course, once you get the equipment on the truck, you have to make sure it'll stay there. Many states have rules about how equipment has to be secured for travel on public highways. These chain laws are written to protect everyone in the transporting process, workers, drivers, and the general public. But they should be looked at as minimum requirements. If your company has stricter rules, follow them. You really have two things to look out for when you're tying down. First of all, the load needs to be secure. Make sure those chains and straps are pulled tight. There's nothing scarier for a driver than to be going down the road and feel the load start to bounce around. But you also need to be sure that you don't damage the equipment. Stick a tie down through the wrong hole and not only are you risking an accident, but the boss isn't going to be real happy if you tear up an expensive piece of gear. Once the load starts down the highway, a whole new set of potential problems comes into play. A load that's too high, too heavy, or too wide is an accident waiting to happen. Of course, one of the first steps in planning a move is to lay out the route. Look for possible hazards. Before you can set off down the highway, you need a permit. And before one can be issued, somebody has to check the route and make sure that the equipment can get safely to its destination. You don't want to find an overpass that's an inch shorter than the height of your load. The easy way is to measure it. The hard way is, well, kind of messy. And it isn't just low overheads you have to watch out for. Roads that are too narrow for your rig can cause all sorts of problems, too. And you don't even want to think about what would happen if you try to take a 50-ton load over a 10-ton bridge. You'll be given a safe route. Stick to it. Learn where the height and weight restrictions are so you can be especially alert in those areas. And don't try to save a little time by taking back roads and shortcuts. The risk is too great, and you don't want to have to answer the kinds of questions they'll be asking if you do have an accident. And just because you're the biggest thing on the road, don't think you're safe from other motorists. People will always take chances, sometimes without even thinking. You need to make sure that other drivers know that they need to be especially careful around you. That means you need proper signs on your rig, and maybe escort vehicles. If you do have an escort, don't follow too closely. The escort's job is not only to warn other drivers that you're coming, but also to alert you to unexpected hazards ahead. Give yourself plenty of room to stop if something's wrong. Unloading can be just as tricky as loading. In fact, it can be even more hazardous. First, you need a level sight. You don't want your rig tipping over sideways. Take a few extra minutes to check things out. In the long run, it'll save you time. It might even save your life. Now, I'm sure that somebody somewhere has tried to drive off a trailer before all the tie-downs were released, but that's not generally a good idea. Make sure that the load is free before you try to move it. And be careful when you take off the chains and straps. They can be under a lot of pressure, and it's real easy for one to spring up and give you quite a wallop. In many ways, the spotter is the most important person during the unloading process. It's the spotter's job to make sure the load is lined up square with the ramps. That means getting close to the rig and checking things real carefully. But remember, when you're that close, the driver may not be able to see you. So keep as far back as you can and still do your job. And to be even more visible, wear a safety vest. If you're the driver, don't move until you're sure that your spotter is safely out of the way. Make sure you both understand the signals. Then follow them. Once that rig starts down the ramp, it's got a lot of momentum behind it. Stopping it may be real darn hard. And it isn't just the spotter who has to be careful when you're unloading. Everyone on the job site needs to be on their toes. Once again, visibility is pretty limited. If you aren't involved in the unloading, then stay clear. With this kind of equipment, even a car or a pickup doesn't stand a chance. Now we'd all like to load and unload our gear on a nice sunny, warm summer day. But the plain truth of the matter is, when the time comes to move, you've got to move. Even if it means loading up in rain, snow, or mud, or the middle of the night. You still have all the hazards you did before, but now you have to deal with slick ramps, poor visibility, and just generally uncomfortable conditions. Muddy ramps can be almost as slick as icy ones. Clean them up before you start to move out. Don't wait until the load starts slipping. It's too late then. All you can do is get out of the way. Now, even with all this talk about special precautions and procedures, it doesn't pay to forget simple safety rules. The things you should be doing every time you step into a job site. Be sure to wear your safety gear, hard hat, safety vest, steel-toed shoes. Any one of them might make the difference between a normal day at work and a trip to the hospital. And most important of all, stay alert. There's a lot going on at any job site, and you've got to stay on top of it. It doesn't matter if you're driving a big dozer up onto a truck or cleaning the ramps. You've got to look out for you. Construction is exciting work. There's always a lot happening, and you're working with some of the biggest machines ever made. And when the time comes to move these big rigs to a new job site, it's up to you to make sure it happens the way it should. There's rules and laws about everything, but they don't do a bit of good if you don't follow them. They say that safety on the job is everyone's business, and that means it's your business. Not some of the time, not most of the time, but all the time. Remember, safety on the job also means getting to the job safely.