Cargo Business Techwire

Friday, January 22, 2016

APM Terminals launch truck safety program at L.A. port

A new safety initiative at APM Terminals Pier 400 at the Port of Los Angeles, has resulted in the implementation of a revised yard layout and procedures to enhance the safety of the 2,000 to 3,000 truck drivers who deliver and pick up containers at the terminal in any given 24-hour period.

APM says the goal of the program is to reduce the risk of accident or injury to outside truck drivers with business at the Pier 400 facility, by keeping drivers inside of their truck cabs at all times within the terminal, or in specifically designated and protected areas where the drivers may exit their cabs to lock the pins which hold containers onto container chassis.

"Our intention is to continue to improve safety

performance by increasing the separation between people and machines," said Pier 400 managing director, Steven Trombley, adding "Put simply: keep drivers in their truck cabs while inside the terminal, or provide them additional safeguards if this is unavoidable."

According to the APM statement, four specific steps were taken to implement the new terminal safety procedures: the creation of designated areas for drivers to lock (after pick-up) or unlock (prior to delivery) the pins on chassis, away from the heavy container moving equipment in continuous operation in a modern container terminal; a redesigned area for trucker parking to address gate transaction problems; and a redesigned Chassis Exchange area for improved safety during the pick-up and drop-off of empty container chassis.