CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES

Construction vehicles consist of both on and off road, some of which are dump trucks and front end loaders.

The Dump Truck

This is a straight truck used by utility companies, delivery companies and trucking companies in it's lighter version and as the dump truck for heavier applications such as construction, snow-plowing and highway work.  In the past these units have been historically mirrored using a flat glass mirror referred to as the "West Coast Mirror" and an 8-inch convex mirror below this with both mirrors mounted on the door frame.

Some manufacturers offer twin case mirrors and these types of systems for installation when the vehicle is purchased but most operators find that the twin case mirror does not provide the field of view that a split mirror system provides.   The answer is simple, you have two pieces of glass in the same box both designed to do different things and this requires them to work against each other with the result being a reduced view.

A typical dump truck arrangement with a west coast mirror and 8-inch convex mirror on the door produces a field of view as shown by the attached picture.

Here, we illustrate the better view that could be provided by the
installation of the M-C Spot mirror on the front fender for the
blind spot along the side of the vehicle and the additional
view across the adjoining lanes for lane changes and turns.



Front End Loader

Another common unit found in the construction area as well as in mining, aggregate quarries, garbage transfer stations and disposal sites and various other industries is the front-end loader.  This vehicle is classified as an off-road vehicle so the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rules do not apply and these vehicles would come under the jurisdiction OSHA generally, and in the mining area the Mine Safety and Health Administration.  Neither of these organizations have rules or regulations on exterior mirrors that are required to be followed by manufacturers of this type of equipment.  Manufacturers put such mirrors on this type of vehicle as they choose.

The major safety factor involved with the front-end loader is that it is usually working in areas where co-workers are working in proximity to the machine so it becomes especially important for the operator to see the area surrounding the unit.   

 Here are a few examples that illustrate that the "current standard" mirror systems do not perform the required functions.