Trailer Wheel Chocking Safety

The brakes on a semi trailer are designed to engage automatically when disconnected from the truck. To minimize the risk of accidents caused by brakes that are out of adjustment or faulty, the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration require the use of chocks or a mechanical device to secure the trailer.

Chocks

• Most commercially available chocks are made from rubber. Rubber provides a hard enough surface to resist the movement of trailer wheels while minimizing the danger of tire damage.

Parking at docks

• OSHA requires that a trailer have chocks placed under both sides of the trailer under the wheels nearest the door while loading or unloading.

Freestanding vehicles

• Chocks should be placed on the left and right rear axles on both sides of the wheels.

Load shifting

• Failure to properly chock a trailer's wheels can result in cargo shifting or falling during the loading process. This could lead to serious injury for anyone inside the trailer.

Lift trucks

• Drivers of lift trucks should make sure trailers have been chocked prior to driving into trailers. Many drivers have been killed or severely injured when a trailer separated from a dock, allowing the lift truck to fall into the resultant gap.