Section XV. Safety in Loading and Unloading Railroad Cars/Trucks and Trailers

TM 38-100/NAVSUP PUB 572/AFMAN 23-210 MCO 4450.14/DLAM 4145.12

These defects should be corrected before proceeding.

j. Chisels, hammer faces, and pliers which have

burred, chipped, or badly worn working surfaces or

d. All stacked cargo and materials will be arranged

edges will be replaced to prevent serious injury to eyes,

in an orderly manner for convenient and safe handling.

hands, or face.

e. Defective or broken strapping on cargo will be

k. Appropriate tools will be used for each job.

removed, repaired, or replaced. Face shield or goggles

For example, nail pullers will be used for opening boxes,

and proper gloves will be worn when cutting steel

strap or wire cutters for cutting metal strapping or wire,

strapping, and personnel will stand out of the way of a

and hammers for driving nails.

snapping line of cut strapping.

l. Plugs will be disconnected when electrical

f. Drums will be rolled by pushing with the hands,

power tools are not in use.

not the feet.

m. Sharp edge tools will not be carried unshielded

g. Material will not be thrown from elevated places

in pockets.

to the floor or ground. Use suitable lowering equipment.

n. Hand operated trucks, dollies, and similar

h. Wheelbarrows, hand trucks, and other similar

equipment will not be parked in traffic lanes or

devices will not be overloaded. These devices will be

roadways.

pushed, not pulled, except when going up inclines.

o. Cylindrical objects will be blocked to prevent

i. Defective carrying, towing, lifelines, or scaffold

rolling.

line ropes will be replaced.

p. When working at high elevations, a lifeline and

safety belt will be worn if other safeguards are

impractical.

q. Personnel will not reach around, over, or under

the moving part of any machine.

Section XV. Safety in Loading and Unloading Railroad Cars/Trucks and Trailers

6-72. Railroad cars (ref 29 CFR 1910.178).

d. Gondola cars. When loading or unloading

gondola cars with cranes, all persons must be removed

from the immediate area before the lift is made. Unless

a. Protection. Blue flags or signals must be placed

required for rigging purposes, personnel should not be

at both ends of a car or cut of cars when personnel are

permitted to stand on top of the car while the load is

working in, on or under the cars. Tank cars shall be so

being raised, lowered, or swung into position.

protected when connected for loading or unloading.

e. Hopper bottom cars. Personnel will not be

When thus protected, the car or cars shall not be

permitted to work inside hopper bottom cars while

coupled to or moved. The supervisor or foreman in

material is being unloaded. Personnel will use a hopper

charge of the personnel loading or unloading the car(s)

car safety wrench to open and close hopper car doors to

shall be responsible for placing the blue flags or signals

prevent backstrains and injuries from falling materials.

and their removal. Train crews shall be informed of all

installation regulations relative to the use of blue flags or

f. Bridge plates. Bridge plates between platforms

signals.

and boxcars will be secured in position, either by being

anchored or equipped with devices which will prevent

b. Opening doors. Boxcar doors should be opened

slipping.

with a car door opener to prevent backstrains and

injuries to personnel. Also, this will prevent material

g. Moving railcars. Railcars will not be pushed or

loosened in transit from falling and striking personnel.

pulled with fork trucks or warehouse tractors. Wheel

c. Checking contents. Contents of railroad cars

stops or other recognized positive protection shall be

provided to prevent railroad cars from moving during

will be checked for unsafe loads before starting to

loading or unloading operations. Positive protection

unload. Empty railroad cars should be checked for

shall be provided to prevent railroad cars from being

weak or broken floor boards and such boards repaired.

moved while dockboards or bridge plates are in position.

Steel plates should be placed in doorway areas while

loading with MHE. When unloading cars, steel plates

will be used over weak or broken floors.

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