Retraining Your Crane Fleet in a Post-COVID World
As people take to the road for work, travel, and general living post-pandemic, the highways of 2021 are much busier than those of 2020. And we all know what it means with more drivers on the road: more accidents. In fact, the most common crane accidents ProSight is seeing from the claims side are rear ends and left and right-turn pitches.
Now is the time to re-educate your drivers on how to reduce these 3 over-the-road risks brought on by the pandemic:
1. Still Driving in COVID Mode
In 2020, with businesses on pause and people working remotely, there were fewer vehicles on the road. Since highways were virtually empty, drivers got used to wide-open roads where they could drive faster without braking. It was almost as though traffic laws no longer applied because of the decrease in commuter traffic. Now, with more cars and trucks on the road, drivers need to reacclimate to other vehicles and re-adjust their speeds, braking distances, and corner turns, especially when hauling/driving heavy equipment like a crane.
2. Delayed Safety Inspections
During the pandemic, vehicles may not have gone through their usual safety protocols, inspections, and regular maintenance because garages were shut down and employees furloughed. In addition, certain states couldn’t keep up with their DOT inspections or didn’t have people to monitor them. Vehicles that aren’t maintained properly may be more at risk for breakdowns and accidents on the roads this year. To make up for lost time in 2020, the DOT and FMCSA (Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration) are ramping up their inspections to help prevent these accidents from taking place.
3. Lack of Qualified Talent
Post-COVID, many CDL drivers aren’t coming back to work. This is especially true for Baby Boomers, who might have worked another 3 to 5 years but are taking early retirement instead. The good news is that companies are hiring! The downside is that the talent pool consists of newly-licensed CDL drivers who have little experience navigating roads and highways—which unfortunately translates to increased risk.
With over-the-road risks from COVID still hanging on, it’s more important than ever to retrain your crane drivers. By taking a proactive stance on loss control and choosing the right insurance solutions, you can help set your crane company up for success in 2021 and beyond.
Jake Morin is Construction Program Executive at ProSight. Contact him for more information about customized crane insurance at JMorin@prosightspecialty.com.
