Spotted this incident yesterday Fri 18 March. The driver is on the phone and the hoodie was I think a witness.
i’ve had two recently , one last night infact , that did’nt catch first time , but i do the check without fail everytime , that picture scares the crap out of me … 
that should maybe be a leason for the newbies , make absolutly sure you do the check and you got it , and do it everytime without fail … makes me shudder that does .
Not only newbies, ‘one of the other drivers’ left his handbrake off the other week and was putting the suzies on and started rolling forward! Pleased it wasn’t me! 
He’s been driving artics for 11 years as well!
Oh no! Don’t show that picture to DHL or we will have even more bits of paper to sign!4
It is surprising the amount of people that just back under a trailer without raising the air suspension so the trailer legs are off the ground & the weight is on the fiftth wheel before making contact with the pin. They should teach this in the test I think, would stop a lot of these incidents of trailers falling off.
Silver_Surfer:
It is surprising the amount of people that just back under a trailer without raising the air suspension so the trailer legs are off the ground & the weight is on the fiftth wheel before making contact with the pin. They shouls teach this in the test I think, would stop a lot of these incidents of trailers falling off.
Don’t they teach you to check the height of the 5th wheel and the pin are the same level before you go under? and doesn’t this incident only happen because drivers don’t put the clip in?..I don’t think this has anything to do with training, just the usual drivers being lazy.
WOW, that’s quite an eye opener, the Driver was very lucky, it could have been a lot worse.
I always get under and check the pin, for the time it takes to do it’s not worth not doing. 
They do teach that I think but it’s no substitute for raising the air suspension on the truck once your under to ensure you get a meaty connection with the pin. I always put the dog clip in as well, occasionaly forget but if that’s in then at least the arm is in the right position. Also if the dog clips in and the trailer still falls off then it helps point toward a faulty fifth wheel rather than driver error so you may still keep your job.
I think basically the dog clip is just to show that you’ve checked the arm position is engaged, I don’t think i’ve ever heard of a properly connected trailer whereby the simple omission of the dog clip caused the trailer to become detached. I think the putting on of the dog clip is just to show that you’ve checked the arm is in the correct position after coupling.
Let’s not forget the tug forward test as well once you’re under, many don’t do this, I always do a slight pull forward once, there’s no nead to rev the nuts off it and do it 4 times.
Personally, I duck under the trailer with a torch and check the jaws are fully shut. Takes two seconds and it’s foolproof.
Silver_Surfer:
They do teach that I think but it’s no substitute for raising the air suspension on the truck once your under to ensure you get a meaty connection with the pin. I always put the dog clip in as well, occasionaly forget but if that’s in then at least the arm is in the right position. Also if the dog clips in and the trailer still falls off then it helps point toward a faulty fifth wheel rather than driver error so you may still keep your job.I think basically the dog clip is just to show that you’ve checked the arm position is engaged, I don’t think i’ve ever heard of a properly connected trailer whereby the simple omission of the dog clip being left off caused the trailer to become detached. I think the putting on of the dog clip is just to show that you’ve checked the arm is in the correct position after coupling.
Let’s not forget the tug forward test as well once you’re under, many don’t do this, I always do a slight pull forward once, there’s no nead to rev the nuts off it and do it 4 times.
Someone posted a video several months ago of a truck carrying bananas I think where the trailer had come off…because the driver didn’t put the dog clip in.
But I agree with your point about raising the suspension…although you don’t need to do it provided you’ve looked at the height before going fully under…but, you should raise the suspension because when you do the “two tugs” forward, you can bend and then break the legs.
ooh,that could have been a lot worse,hope the driver manages to keep his job.
i always do 3 tug tests with the suspension raised & trailer wheels off floor,call me paranoid but it scares the crap out me that happening,saw it happen at coca cola in wakefield,luckily it fell off as the driver turned in yard so wasn’t out on road,still the cost the haulier a fortune in crane hire & the firm was banned from site.
jrl driver:
ooh,that could have been a lot worse,hope the driver manages to keep his job.i always do 3 tug tests with the suspension raised & trailer wheels off floor,call me paranoid but it scares the crap out me that happening,saw it happen at coca cola in wakefield,luckily it fell off as the driver turned in yard so wasn’t out on road,still the cost the haulier a fortune in crane hire & the firm was banned from site.
Wow…you must have a really strong truck and impressive suspension if you can lift all the wheels off the floor
I presume you meant legs? lol
as silver surfer said the clip is there only so you have made sure the jaws have shut properly (lever all the way in) leaving the clip out wont allow it to release the jaws
Adam_Mc:
jrl driver:
ooh,that could have been a lot worse,hope the driver manages to keep his job.i always do 3 tug tests with the suspension raised & trailer wheels off floor,call me paranoid but it scares the crap out me that happening,saw it happen at coca cola in wakefield,luckily it fell off as the driver turned in yard so wasn’t out on road,still the cost the haulier a fortune in crane hire & the firm was banned from site.
Wow…you must have a really strong truck and impressive suspension if you can lift all the wheels off the floor
I presume you meant legs? lol
lol,yeah,meant the legs 
Lucy:
Personally, I duck under the trailer with a torch and check the jaws are fully shut. Takes two seconds and it’s foolproof.
^^^^ HERE’S THE ANSWER ^^^^^
No need to rive the 5th wheel, drag the trailer down the yard, bend the legs etc.
Small tug and get yer torch out…I do the same as Lucy.
mickfly:
Lucy:
Personally, I duck under the trailer with a torch and check the jaws are fully shut. Takes two seconds and it’s foolproof.^^^^ HERE’S THE ANSWER ^^^^^
No need to rive the 5th wheel, drag the trailer down the yard, bend the legs etc.
Small tug and get yer torch out…I do the same as Lucy.
And put the dog clip in
I know its comming whos gonna be the first with a gag about 3 tugs and loosing ur load
chester1:
I know its comming whos gonna be the first with a gag about 3 tugs and loosing ur load
You were the first. 
Adam_Mc:
mickfly:
Lucy:
Personally, I duck under the trailer with a torch and check the jaws are fully shut. Takes two seconds and it’s foolproof.^^^^ HERE’S THE ANSWER ^^^^^
No need to rive the 5th wheel, drag the trailer down the yard, bend the legs etc.
Small tug and get yer torch out…I do the same as Lucy.
And put the dog clip in
If it has a dog clip, not all do.
Coffeeholic:
Adam_Mc:
mickfly:
Lucy:
Personally, I duck under the trailer with a torch and check the jaws are fully shut. Takes two seconds and it’s foolproof.^^^^ HERE’S THE ANSWER ^^^^^
No need to rive the 5th wheel, drag the trailer down the yard, bend the legs etc.
Small tug and get yer torch out…I do the same as Lucy.
And put the dog clip in
If it has a dog clip, not all do.
True…but all trucks have either a dog clip or that spring loaded catch thing…but you’ve still got to make sure its in place. I still think the main problems is drivers becoming lazy and trying to do things in a hurry.