Article created for the digital issue of the NATSO Foundation’s magazine
The safety of technicians providing roadside repairs is critical, and the NATSO Foundation continues to release information to boost safety awareness and best practices that can help save lives.
The NATSO Foundation met with Kevin Rohlwing, senior vice president of training for the Tire Industry Association, for a Q&A on reducing risks during roadside repairs.
NATSO Foundation: Can you share some general best practices technicians should observe?
Rohlwing: Yes, there are several:
- Park behind the disabled vehicle. If you park a service truck in front of the disabled truck, it looks like another truck on the road. It is best to park behind with lights and cones, which signals that it is a work zone.
- Avoid the danger zone. The area between the work truck and the tractor-trailer is known as the death zone. It is dangerous to be in the area.
- Take time to assess the job sight. Look for potential hazards and determine if it is safe.
- If it isn’t safe, move it. This isn’t golf. You don’t have to play it where it lies. You can move it up to the exit or to a better location on the shoulder. If you need to, you can get a tow truck.
NATSO Foundation: Are drivers and fleets open to moving the vehicle?
Rohlwing: It can depend on what the issue is and what tire is affected. Fleets can be reluctant to move the vehicle because they don’t want to hurt the rim, but even if it does destroy it, it isn’t worth someone’s life.
NATSO Foundation: What should technicians do if the driver doesn’t want to move the vehicle?
Rohlwing: More and more dealers are authorizing employees to refuse to work. It is hard to find people for this business and it is even harder to keep them. We need to make sure they know they can exercise their rights to refuse to work if they don’t feel safe.
NATSO Foundation: Is there anything else you recommend?
Rohlwing: If the vehicle can be serviced safely, technicians need to ensure visibility. At a minimum, they should wear a reflective vest at all times. It creates an extra level of protection.
// This article was created for Stop Watch magazine, the magazine of the NATSO Foundation. The NATSO Foundation is the research, education and public outreach subsidiary of NATSO, Inc. The NATSO Foundation provides programs and products to strengthen travel plazas’ ability to meet the traveling public's needs through improved operational performance and business planning. Visit www.natsofoundation.org for more information. (Donate to the NATSO Foundation here.)
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