PACIF has developed Safety Briefs to help municipal highway supervisors maintain a high level of safety and hazard awareness among employees. We recommend using these short “tailgate trainings” on a regular basis – but no less once a month. If you need a particular safety topic, please contact us at losscontrol@vlct.org.
Information for Supervisors
Sand piles are commonplace at municipal highway garages, where road crews stockpile sand for use on roads during the winter months. Large piles of sand can pose a range of hazards to both municipal employees and the public at large. The sandpile itself can be an “attractive nuisance” to local kids and can also pose hazards to members of the public who might try to get sand from the pile during the winter months. Although incidents are not common, when they do occur, they can be serious or fatal. With this in mind there are a few basic steps that can be taken by municipalities when locating and working on and around sand piles.
Talking Points for Training
Consider the following best practices for providing sand for public use.
- Maintain a “public use” sand pile that is separate and away from the primary pile and replenished as needed. Clear and obvious signage to direct citizens to the proper location is helpful. This keeps the public out of the primary pile.
- When possible locate this pile outside the entrance to the garage. • Never load private vehicles using municipal equipment. • It is best to establish and communicate policies regarding the amount of sand available to residents, as well as clarifying that contractors are not welcome. Use your town website and other means to communicate this information.
Best practices for stockpiling
- When dumping from the top of the pile, dump in a location where it can be pushed over the edge with the bucket loader. Avoid backing right up to the edge of the pile. Avoid driving off with the dump body fully raised while it is still full. Doing so creates excessive torque and wear to the dump piston and can cause failure, vehicle damage, and injury.
- Always load trucks from the toe of the pile. Never load from under and overhang.
Additional best practices:
- Sand piles are notorious for creating overhangs during the winter - especially after rainy conditions followed by a freeze. Use heavy equipment, or hire a (properly insured) contractor with an excavator if needed to remove hazardous overhangs and make the sand pile safe for use.
- If your sand is stored in a sand shed, keep the doors closed and locked when not in use
- If your sand pile is near a residential area with children, place “Do not climb or play on sand pile” signs in the area