7 Essential Vacuum Truck Operation Safety Tips
Did you know if the average hourly pay for a vacuum truck driver in the United States is $20.21?
If you are looking to obtain your Class A or Class B CDL in an attempt to become a vacuum truck driver, You may be wondering what the best tips about safe vacuum truck operation are. This is especially important if you are new to being a CDL driver and have never operated any commercial equipment before.
In this guide, we’re going to break down the best tips for you to know To operate A vacuum truck safely. Keep reading to learn more!
1. Stay Clear of The Vacuum
Sometimes, operating vacuum trucks are dangerous, especially because you can receive serious bodily harm if you aren’t very careful. Many accidents have been caused because a vacuum truck operator hasn’t been careful while operating the vacuum on a truck.
One example of a common workplace injury resulting from being a vac truck operator is limb loss. In workplaces with hazards this severe, the management really has a responsibility to put in place some proper warnings around the premises – check out these danger signage options in the UK. Some workers believe that they can really remove a blockage with their hands without turning off the equipment. While this will work to dislodge the stuck debris, there will be a buildup in pressure that will occur in a vacuum hose. In such cases, workers should wear protective hand gear of good quality so that they do not injure themselves. Protective workwear manufactured by companies like BIG Safety can be easily bought online.
2. Maximize Truck Performance
If you’re struggling to maximize your vacuum truck’s performance, you should begin by starting the vacuum off at a lower vacuum level. You should also make sure that the nozzle you’re working with isn’t buried in any material type.
To get the materials that you’re attempting to suck up to move through the vacuum truck properly, you need to ensure that you’re supporting proper airflow. If you’re finding that your initial vacuum isn’t powerful enough to suck up materials, increase your RPM.
You’re going to want to slowly increase the RPM, as this will increase the vacuum power. In addition to expanding the vacuum power, this will also increase the flow of material.
3. Watch Your Hose
The more of the vacuum hose you use, the less efficient the sucking capability of a via vacuum will be. It would help if you only used as much of the hose as you need. If there is any excessive length to the hose, decrease this so that you can maximize the efficiency of your vacuum truck.
4. Check Your Tank
Another common workplace injury that occurs Hmong vac truck operators is that they don’t check their truck before sucking up more materials. If you are a storage tank full of sludge that doesn’t mix well with other substances, such as well or wastewater, you could cause a chemical reaction.
Mixing two substances is extremely dangerous. Not only do you have to worry about a chemical reaction that could cause damage to your vehicle, but you also have to worry about mixing chemicals that could generate toxic fumes. The development of toxic fumes on your work site could be deadly, primarily if you work in a confined space.
There are many types of liquids that vacuum trucks are capable of handling. This is why you should gain knowledge and understand the different fluids you’ll handle and how to handle them safely. You should seek out additional training or certification if necessary.
5. Don’t Forget About Your Personal Protective Equipment
Personal protective equipment is commonly referred to as PPE. When you’re first starting your training as a vacuum truck operator, you must learn about the proper way to use personal protective equipment. Some of the most commonly used types of personal protective equipment supply to vacuum truck operators include respirators and personal alarms.
When you’re training to become a vacuum truck operator, it’s also important that you understand what to do if you are in a situation where you have to handle the possibility of gas explosions being exposed to toxic fluids. You should also learn what to do if there’s ever an emergency and how you should react while handling these toxic substances. If animals are likely to come in contact with the explosions, it might be a good idea to invest in some dog gas mask along with the PPE kits.
6. Never Forget About Your Pre-Trip Inspection
Before you take your vacuum truck out on the road, you need to conduct a thorough investigation of the vehicle before it leaves a parking lot. Completing a pre-trip inspection or a pre-operation inspection will make sure that all of the components on your vacuum truck are working properly.
Carefully examine every part of the equipment, even if you used the truck the day before. Many things can go wrong on a vacuum truck. Understanding what kind of working condition your truck is in will help ensure that you can operate the vehicle safely.
7. Site-Specific Orientations Are Necessary
Before you begin working on a job, you must get an understanding of what conditions you’re going to be working in. It’s also important for you to understand what types of materials you’re going to be handling.
This is to gather and understand what types of risks may be involved depending on the type of material you’re handling. Also, getting a site-specific orientation will allow you to develop a plan on how to handle materials you’re working with safely.
Receiving a site-specific orientation and the rest of the people you’re going to be working with will allow you to develop an action plan if an emergency were to arise.
Taking Your Vacuum Truck Operation Seriously
Vacuum truck operation can be a potentially dangerous job. It can be even more dangerous when you are handling toxic or corrosive fluids consistently. Vacuum trucks are equipped with safety features to keep the drivers and the operators protected. Before they begin an arduous and dangerous job such as this, they must be given specific training under qualified supervisors who have completed a course in Work health and safety course Melbourne or similar certifications, qualifying them to instruct and monitor employees in the workplace. The certification is available in nearly every country for those seeking a supervisory position in Work health and safety monitoring and instruction (for any company).
However, understanding how to operate a vacuum truck safely will ensure that you and your team come home safely to your families.
Are you interested in learning more about the best way to go about safely handling other commercial vehicles? We’ve got more information for you on our blog. Check out our website to learn more today!
