Beyond the Farm: Fleet Asset Recovery in Utility Work Environments

We hear it all the time: “I’ve been pulling stuck vehicles out on the farm for 30 years. I don’t need training.”

Experience has value, but successful recovery of a stuck vehicle does not necessarily indicate that the recovery was done safely. Sometimes it means that everything simply worked out (i.e., you got lucky).

Vehicle recovery techniques, recovery equipment and safety expectations have seen significant changes over the last 30 years as industry regulations and other requirements have evolved. Today’s fleet professionals must recognize that vehicle recovery in utility work environments demands compliance with OSHA regulations, employer safety program criteria and company-owned equipment rules. These are not typically factors of concern when attempting to free Gramps’ stuck farm truck from a muddy field during hunting season.

Poorly executed recovery attempts can cause injury and death, damage vehicles and equipment, limit productivity, and prompt expensive towing bills and other financial consequences. The road to safe extraction begins with the understanding that recovery encompasses more than pulling a stuck vehicle.

Human Element
Before we discuss equipment or techniques, it is helpful to understand the human element of vehicle recovery.

Rarely does a recovery occur under ideal circumstances. The stuck vehicle could be discovered at the end of a long workday. Maybe the operator is tired, frustrated, embarrassed or all three. Workers might feel pressure to get the vehicle moving again because the crew has somewhere else to be.

Fatigue, frustration and stress often cause individuals to rush, miss important details and make less-than-ideal decisions. The capacity to remain calm and rational during a vehicle recovery can save lives. Take the time needed to adequately understand the situation. Resist the urge to grab the nearest available equipment and rig something simply because it looks right or a buddy showed you how to do it years ago. Then ask yourself these questions:

• Why is the vehicle stuck?
• What is preventing it from moving?
• How much force will be required to free the vehicle?
• What could happen if the first recovery attempt is unsuccessful?
• Should the vehicle be winched or pulled?
• Can it be driven out with assistance?
• Is there debris around the vehicle that must be removed?
• Does the vehicle need to be repositioned?

This assessment process does not take long to complete and could prevent a catastrophic incident.

Equipment Selection and Recovery Techniques
Anyone who attempts to recover a stuck vehicle must know its weight; this is the starting point to determine the approximate amount of force required for the extraction effort.

Next, conduct a proper stuck assessment to help identify the appropriate recovery method. Keep in mind that no single recovery technique will work in all situations. The method that works on a truck sitting in shallow mud with all four tires still movable, for instance, will be different than the technique needed to recover a high-centered vehicle buried to the axles or resting against an obstacle.

Equipment selection is critical to a successful vehicle recovery. Never grab a chain or shackle without knowing its working load limit, its intended application and how it should be connected. Similarly, knowing the vehicle’s winch capacity is essential to ensure winch suitability for both the stuck vehicle and the recovery situation.

When selecting rigging equipment, match it to the recovery effort and perform a thorough inspection. Verify that chains, straps, shackles, winch lines and other components are appropriately rated and in good working order. Make connections to the vehicle at appropriate recovery points designed and rated for the application.

Note: A convenient-looking hole or tie-down point is not necessarily a recovery point. Although utility workers can often complete a job with the items available on their truck, risk increases where “getting ’er done” takes precedence over understanding the equipment.

Utility fleet professionals must also understand that substantial energy stored by winch lines, chains and straps under load can be rapidly released due to failure, movement or disconnection. Anyone involved in a recovery effort must understand where the energy will likely go and keep out of the line of fire.

Lastly, recovery techniques can make or break a situation. Social media and artificial intelligence tools offer abundant information that can sometimes be helpful yet too often reflects personal biases, outdated practices and/or incomplete details. Product marketing can further complicate this issue. For example, a technique promoted as the “best” approach – because that is what gets people to try it – may not be the safest or most effective approach. Employers and employees must be able to distinguish between marketing, opinion and true recovery best practices, which is where formal training comes in. Recovery training for utilities and contractors is designed to provide operators with additional tools beyond what they may have learned on the farm or in a recreational environment.

Conclusion
The safest vehicle recoveries are controlled and deliberate. A good training program will teach workers how to assess a stuck vehicle; select appropriate recovery equipment; understand ratings and limitations; establish proper connections; recognize the line of fire; and know when to stop the recovery. Successful extractions do not cause bodily injury or property damage, nor do they require towing company assistance. Again, experience is valuable, but it must be combined with the latest industry information, appropriate equipment and sound recovery techniques.

About the Author: Kyle Buchter, owner of Off Road Consulting (https://offroad-consulting.com), provides hands-on training in safe vehicle operation, winching, recovery and off-road driving. He maintains several industry certifications and works with professional operators to improve recovery skills, equipment knowledge and safety in challenging environments.