Airstream 2009 Pan America, Owner'S Manual

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CAMPINg
trailer creep
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congested staging areas •
accumulations of empty containers and debris •
These are all hazards which can all be present at the same time within a very
confined area. You need to be aware of these potential hazards when loading,
unloading and rigging your cargo. Your continuous attention to safety measures
will help prevent accidents and possibly serious injuries and property damage.
The biggest reason to put a priority on loading safety is not so much related to
the frequency of accidents as it is to the potential severity of injuries that can
occur in these types of accidents. The kind of injuries sustained when a load
tips over or falls from the ramp or falls out of the trailer, or those that occur if the
load shifts unexpectedly during travel tend to be very serious and sometimes
fatal. You can prevent these types of accidents by paying attention to what you
are doing and thinking through the consequences of poor loading.
Poor hazard assessment decisions are directly responsible for many accidents.
You can help minimize these risks, avoid hazards, and enjoy your recreational
activities safely by using an effective decision-making strategy:
Look around you and your situation. Get a good idea of what’s going on •
around you before you act.
Identify hazards or specific problems in your path. Equipment, materials,
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debris, other vehicles, children, pets, or any number of other things may
be in your way when you load or unload cargo or vehicles.
Predict what may happen and think of the consequences of your actions. •
If you are loading/unloading alone, are you physically capable of handling
the load safely and keeping it under control? Ask yourself what would
happen if your load falls over, slips off the ramp or falls out of the trailer. If
you are unable to control your cargo, what will happen to it, you, and any
other people, equipment, or materials if/when it becomes uncontrollable?
If you tie down your load, what will happen if a tie down comes loose?
What will happen if all tie downs come loose? What will you do if someone
else does something dangerous during your loading/unloading?
Decide what to do based on your abilities and the capabilities of your equip-
ment. Always use proper lifting techniques, and personal protection equipment
as necessary such as gloves, helmets, kneepads and other protective clothing.
Be sure your cargo does not exceed the capacity of your loading ramp and the
trailer. Here are some general safety rules about loading and unloading your
cargo trailer. Other safety items will be covered throughout this section.
Always consider the equipment you are loading. After use, it may be hot,
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wet, slippery, dirty or in some other condition that may be potentially
hazardous.