Companies come up with an extendable steel carting trailer which gives drivers a safe walkway
Big trailer manufacturer MaxiTrans and blue-chip company OneSteel have won a steel industry safety gong for an innovative trailer design.
The companies have taken out the Steel Transport Safety Network award for best safety improvement initiative.
The winning design is based around an extendable flat top semi-trailer.
Instead of the usual frame with huge gaps in the extension, Maxitrans has engineered a gap-less walkway which folds into place as the trailer extends.
This means drivers and other staff are able to walk when necessary between each deck of the trailer without the risk of falling between the gaps.
MaxiTrans says the extra cost is a little more than $4,000, and that OneSteel has specified the new design as standard for any replacement extendables.
Maxitrans is well-known for an earlier safety trailer, the EziLiner tautliner, which doesn’t have buckles and won an Australian Design Award.
As well as easier curtain sliding and restraint thanks to a compressed air system, the EziLiner eliminates the chance of buckles becoming “swinging missiles” when the curtains get caught in strong wind.
For a feature on safety on and around the decks of rigids and trailers, check out an upcoming issue of ATN.