Use caution when in shops

[Loretta]

I am posting this message as a concern for safety of both drivers & the people who work on or around tractor trailors. I work as a fuel desk cashier in a truck stop six miles down the road from the truck stop where my husband works as a truck mechanic. Less than 24 hours ago, one of his co-workers lost his life when a wheel came off a truck & hit him in the head. I have seen drivers get upset when my husband or another mechanic tell the driver to stay in his truck or go to the lounge & wait. My husband has gone as far as to tell them that if they don't want to obey the rules, they can go on down the road. I realize this may make him sound like he has a bad attitude. This is not the case. They are just trying to keep what happened to their co-worker from happening to a driver. At the shop today, things were extremely unsettling. These men realized what they thought would never happen to one of them did happen. Please don't let it happen to you, too. Listen to the mechanic & stay in your truck or go to the fuel desk or lounge. Remember the truck is not their main concern, your safety is. God bless you all!

[Jimbo]

I stayed in the lounge most of the time, but would walk out to my truck a couple times to see how things were going. I do know my way construction sites, and shop areas, and know how to stay out of the way. On the other hand, I'mm sitting here with an injury from working at a construction site, so I guess it can happen to anyone.

One thing mechanics have to remember about owner/ops is that when they are paying $1800 a month for a truck, they like to keep an eye on what's being done to it.

I would hope common sense would be the rule in all cases. If someone's being an idiot, getting in the way, or placing themselves in a "no escape" place, then they should get chased. A trucker who is respectful and careful should not be a problem to anyone.

[Capt._Chaos]

When I turned wrenches years ago, I usually didn't mind drivers being around when I worked on their trucks if I knew them well enough, and as long as they stayed away from mine & other mechanics' tool boxes and cooperated when I asked them to stand back whenever I knew that whatever work I was going to do would put them at risk.

I have had to get forceful with a few drivers and tell them that I would quit working on their trucks until they left me alone. What some of them fail to realize is that a mechanic can usually get their truck repaired a lot quicker & as a better quality repair without being distracted.

Truck repair shops are a dangerous place, and it's understandable why most of them do not want anyone other than their employees on the shop floor.

I do agree with Preacher in terms of some underqualified people who need to be watched closely, especially when around lube bays where they may not know where all of the grease fittings are at.

[Loretta]

I didn't mean to imply the driver had no right to know what is going on with his truck. I apologize for that. If you run into an inexperienced mechanic, by all means, you need to beware of what's going on. I realize not all shops are ASE ceritified, like the one my husband works in. Unfortunately, in this case a tire exploded and the rim flew off the truck, hitting the mechanic in his head. I really intended to just get through to those drivers who are distracting the mechanic or getting in the way.

We both respect the drivers & their trucks, but we don't want to lose one of you to a freak accident.

[nitestar]

When my truck is in the shop and I need to get something out of it . I never just hop in. I ALWAYS look for the mechanic.
If I spot him I ask If I can get in my truck. WHY. Well ,
Simple, The truck sways and leans a bit when a 200 lb pluss person gets in and I don't want the mechanic to loose a finger or get a broken bone while working in a very close spot under the truck. Seen it done befor and it is a mess.
I am sure CC has seen this happen too.

I always get permisson befor I climb in. I tell them why I am getting in.
This lets the mechanic know the truck is going to move a bit and I am not going to turn on the key like I have seen done while the starter was being replaced on another truck.

SAFETY.

I pay by the hour to have my truck worked on and if I stand around and gab to the mechanic about trucker tales I pay the price for it.
I don't do that. I will talk to the mechanic about the truck and how it behaved so he knows what to look for.
Makes his job easier.

[Bikerboy]

Unfortunately, in this case a tire exploded and the rim flew off the truck, hitting the mechanic in his head.

The same thing just happened at a shop near my house. A guy was working on a split rim tire. Another guy walked up to talk to mecanic. And the ring blew off and hit the new guy in the head. Ripped his head and hand right off. Those things are dangerous!!!!!!! Never stand in front of a tire when it's getting air put in it. Always use a cage for split rims for sure.

Even tubeless tires are dangerous, sometimes the sidewall will blow out cuz the tire was weakened from running low air, and when it gets filled up , the sidewall could blow.
It will make a zipper sound before it lets go, if you ever hear the zipper sound, run fast, sideways of the tire. not in front of it.

[allikat]

Truck tires should be inflated in a cage... to protect people from just that thing.