Wheel Chocks Save Lives

Wheel chocks are designed to prevent damages to assets and injuries to personnel. Utilizing wheel chocks means placing an emphasis on the well-being and safety of people who may be operating nearby a vehicle’s resting spot—without wheel chocks to prevent accidental vehicle movement, the lives of these people may be in constant danger. Above simply using wheel chocks as a proactive way to prevent damage to assets and injury to personnel, utilizing wheel chocks is one of the required safety protocols for OSHA. In situations where wheel chocks are not employed or utilized appropriately, it’s estimated that the cost of damages—between asset damages, injuries and fatalities—can range from $250,000 to more than $4 million should incident occur. The simple addition of industrial wheel chocks can eliminate the potential for stationary vehicle movement and all of the reparations that can come with incident. Picking the right wheel chocks Picking the appropriate wheel chocks comes down mostly to the characteristics of the vehicle that needs support. Generally, the right chock is chosen by considering these crucial variables: Tire diameter: The bigger the tire diameter, the more surface area the chock is going to need to be rated for. Slope of the chock will also be a concern, depending on the actual size of the tire and the tire type. The correct wheel chock will be about 1/4 of the height of your tire. Gross vehicle operating weight: The stronger the vehicle, the stronger the wheel chocks are going to need to be to support that vehicle. It goes without saying that the chocks you’d use for a basic pickup truck are going to be vastly different than the chocks you use for a 400-ton haul truck! Surface: What surface is the vehicle parked on and where are the chocks being placed? Gravel, dirt, pavement and other surfaces are all going to have different traction, meaning that different chock types may be required to ensure stability. The grading of the land is also important to take note of and will determine where the chocks are placed on the vehicle in relation to the slope. Number of chocks: The number of chocks is going to vary based on the gross operating weight of a vehicle and the surface on which it’s parked. For example, a pickup truck parked on flat pavement may only need two chocks for the front driver’s side tire, while that same truck parked on a paved uphill slope may need four chocks, buffering the back of all four tires. Brand: Brand is another important facet to consider because with a brand name comes a brand guarantee. Chocks from Better Stops are always going to be a superior choice to unnamed or mismatched brands for the sheer fact that they come in a variety of colors for high visibility and they are made from 100% recycled material!!