Wheel chock maker wins 2008 safety award

rubber wheel chocks Portland Cement Association's Occupational Health and Safety Committee looks for examples of how the cement industry is making its plants safer places to work. The goals of the Safety Innovation Awards are: To honor innovative practices, programs, and projects throughout the industry. To communicate these ideas to members of the North American cement industry. To raise the profile and importance of safety programs both inside and outside the industry. Seventy-four entries were judged by members of the committee along with a representative of MSHA and a member of the PCA Board of Directors. Winners in the Quarry, category received a monetary gift towards a “Celebration for Safety.” These awards are co-sponsored by the Portland Cement Association and the Cement Association of Canada.  LAFARGE NORTH AMERICA INC. RAVENA, NEW YORK Quarry personnel at this location designed a specialty wheel chock for mobile, rubber-tire-equipped drills used on active quarry faces. In the past, a driver would back the drill to a specific location along the quarry face, and once positioned, engage the parking brake. The practice created concern that parking brake failure or accidental release, particularly if occurring when the driver was out of the rig, might result in the drill unit rolling backward over the face. The risk seemed greater for certain areas of the quarry, where the active benches on which the units would park actually sloped toward the quarry's open face. A suggestion was made to require specially designed wheel chocks when setting up the drills on the face. For ease of use, the new wheel chock has an extension bar supporting a reflective sign that allows the driller to position the chock at the desired location. Once the chock is correctly positioned, the driver can back up against it, providing security against roll-backs in addition to the parking brake. This wheel chock also has a flashing orange LED light affixed to a reflective sign on the chock that, used in conjunction with an orange cone, helps guide the driver while backing up the rig. This enhancement mitigates the safety risk of the parking brake failing. The specialty wheel chock cost was approximately $200.