we got a rollover

Rollover!!!!!!!

Rollover!!!!!!!

Rollover!!!!!!!

We got one!! I got the call from the guys at Lin-Mat Motors (my limited �on-call� part-time job) that we had a rollover dump in a gravel yard. My adrenalin started pumping and I got there as fast as I could. I was speeding way over the speed limit in a semi in the suburbs to get back to my car and then over to the dump.

When I got to the scene, the New Rotator and the 30 ton integrated, had beaten me there by 5 min. by the way, I will be posting an in-depth look into the new rotator in the coming week or so. It is a 60 ton, 3 stage boom w/ all the bells and whistles.

Anyway,

The dump truck had backed into the dumping area, it was loaded heavy and when it got � to � ways up, it tipped and rolled. The 5^th wheel broke free and the tractor drove away unscathed. The dump was loaded with huge chunks of concrete. The dump was fully loaded and the load went all over the place. Unfortunately, b4 the dump rolled, all of the heavy equipment operators went home and with out calling in outside heavy equipment, there was no way to pull all of the rock out of the dump. Needless to say, this made our job more difficult.

When the crew first arrived, some of the operators started rigging for a side pull for the up righting. We decided to alter the plan because of the extended piston and frame and use the rotator at the front of the unit and the 30 ton in the rear. The rotator would lift the whole front end of the dump, strait up away from the rocks and perform an end roll (mid air roll). At the same time, the rear wrecker would execute a simultaneous side pull from the top of the dump to the D-ring on the still leg. In some of the beginning pictures, you can see how the rear heavy was originally hooked b4 we altered the plan.

One of the KEY actions we preformed b4 the execution of the up righting, is we checked the �NO�s�- we walked around and looked at all the details and the rigging and it was this action, that ultimately led to the altering of the original plan and the realization that the winch line from the rear truck to the front of the dump was useless because this end would be suspended in the air and all we would be doing is adding resistance to the rotator. We also re-hooked the chain on the rear axel/frame so instead of a strait pull, which was too low and far away (it would have dragged the casualty sideways instead of downwards) we used a �Christmas wrap� and came around the bottom and up and around the top side. This gave us a higher pull and it would pull in the direction we wanted the dump to end up at- wheels on the ground. In some of the pics it looks like the sub-frame is dragging on the ground during the roll, it is not, just very close.

The up righting want very smooth and looked very professional. We used a Wreckmaster strap w/ ware pads and shackles on the front (lower side) and shortened it using a WM buckle. Looking back on it, we could have just used chains but this worked well.

After the dump was back on its wheels, we set the dump on the ground and used the weight of the dump to retract the piston and the sub frame back into its closed position. The sub frame was then chained to the dump frame.

We lifted the whole dump unit and emptied the rest of the load, all the while keeping the rear wrecker hooked up to make sure the load would not shift again, it was still loaded heavy on the damaged side.

I really feel good about this recovery and I think we did a great job. I am not just posting these pics to show off; I want to use this as a learning tool. This was my first rollover dump, I�ve seen lots of them (in person and in pics), but never worked on one. I think it may have been the first dump for some of the rest of the crew. Looking back and after studying the pics, I have a few small things I would have done different.

- I don't know why I did not think of this b4, but Ron J.R. latter suggested, that we should have brought in dump tractor, hooked up the hydraulics, and retracted the piston and sub frame b4 the upright. It's briliant! it seems so obvious now.

- I would have required all personnel to have a hard hat, safety glasses and steel toes. I admit it, I did not have mine on- I left mine at the Tollway.

And

- I would have done a better job of keeping the owners, drivers, and non-essential personnel away from the scene. I keep yellow caution tape in my truck and corner off the scene- I did tell some of them a few times to move back, and they did for the most part.

I think we preformed an excellent recovery. Good Job to Ron J.R., Tony, Luigi, and Me (Jim). All of us are Wreckmasters and Luigi and I are 6/7�s.

If any one has any suggestions, questions, or criticisms, please e-mail me at towrecovery@aol.com