Why Wheel Chocks?

Did you know that military cargo planes are chocked on the runway? Conventional wisdom would suggest that such a massive piece of military hardware would have a parking brake that is more than adequate to do the job, but the fact is, it's standard procedure to take no chances with military aircraft. The same mentality should apply to your operation. Any time trucks or other heavy equipment are required to be parked, and/or raised (especially trailers and truck beds) you should invest an extra few seconds to place chocks for the additional safety factor. Do you know what the U.S. Department of Labor guidelines are for wheel chocks? A truck or trailer must be equipped with them (rear wheels only) for any use at a loading dock, unless mechanical means are used to prevent the truck or trailer from moving during an unload or loading procedure. Chocks may be optional safety features for a crane, forklift, or dump truck, but for trailers and trucks, they are mandatory if there is no mechanical assistance to prevent trailer creep.