Metso Insights Blog Mining and metals blog More safety for haul truck drivers
Mining
Nov 18, 2016

Let’s improve the working conditions for haul truck drivers with safer design

Fredrik Larsson
Fredrik Larsson
Product Manager, Truck Lining
The loud noises and strong vibrations associated with driving a haul truck can make the job sometimes uncomfortable. However, it doesn’t have to be that way! We have designed a rubber truck bed lining to improve the working environment for drivers.
Haul truck loaded at a mine.

Today, safety is a top priority for aggregates producers and crushing contractors – and for us. A well-functioning working environment is key in improving safety.

Truck drivers belong to a group of workers that is most exposed to whole-body vibrations and noise. Regular exposure can cause damage to the body, hearing loss, stress, high blood pressure and fatigue, i.e. serious symptoms of health and safety problems. Employers are constantly working on ways to improve the conditions for their employees.

Can the solution be as simple as choice of material?

A loud working environment is wearisome. The loud noise from loading and dumping material with a haul truck affects both drivers and the surroundings. Improving the function of the truck bed lining is one way of addressing this problem. Our rubber lining absorbs impact better than steel ever can and reduces noise by an average of 10-15 decibels. That’s like cutting the noise in half! Moreover, measurements show that a rubber-lined truck bed absorbs up to 95% of the energy from the impact during loading. Consequently, the vibration is dissipated before reaching other parts of the truck structure, including the operator cabin. This means that the operator can feel and hear the difference when sitting in the cabin during loading and dumping.

Modular system makes installations easier

The safety benefits don’t stop there. Because our rubber lining is highly resistant to wear and impact, its service life is four or more times longer compared to a traditional steel lining. This combined with the modular design makes the lining easier to handle than the steel options and it allows you to replace individual modules rather than the entire lining. You can easily arrange for quick change-outs when the truck is in the service center for regular engine maintenance. The bottom line is shorter replacement time, and fewer and safer installations.


Mining