You will have about a second. The instinct to jump is overwhelming, and it is wrong. This is the one drill every operator should have rehearsed in their head so that when it happens the response is automatic.
If the truck tips sideways
- Stay in the seat. Do not jump. The truck falls faster than you can get clear, and the overhead guard lands where you would be.
- Brace your feet firmly on the floor of the cab.
- Hold the steering wheel with both hands.
- Lean away from the direction of the fall, towards the high side, and tuck your head in.
- Wait until the truck has stopped moving before releasing the belt and climbing out on the high side.
If the truck tips forward
A forward tip, usually from an overload or from lowering a heavy load with the mast tilted forward, is slower and less violent. Stay in the seat, hold on, and do not try to lower or reverse the load once the rear wheels have left the ground. Wait for it to settle.
Why the seat belt is part of this
Every step above depends on staying in the seat. Without a belt, a sideways tip throws the operator out of the cab before they can brace. With one, the operator stays inside the protected space. Read why the seat belt saves operators.
Afterwards
- Get medical attention even if you feel fine. Adrenaline hides injuries.
- Do not let anyone try to right the truck until it has been made safe. Fuel, LPG and battery acid may be leaking.
- An overturn is a reportable dangerous occurrence under RIDDOR even if nobody is hurt.
- Find out why it happened. Almost every overturn has a cause that will cause the next one. The stability guide lists the usual suspects.