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In most cases, commercial motor vehicles (CMV) are no longer required to chock trailer wheels when parking at loading docks. In an agreement between the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and OSHA, authority over CMV parking issues belongs to the FMCSA. Consequently, OSHA’s wheel chocking requirements in 1910.178(k)(1) and 1910.178(m)(7) of the Powered Industrial Truck standard no longer apply to commercial motor vehicles.
This applies to any vehicle that:
- Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of at least 10,001 pounds, whichever is greater, or
- Is designed or used to transport more than eight passengers (including the driver) for compensation, or
- Is designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver, and is not used to transport passengers for compensation, or
- Is used in transporting hazardous material in an amount requiring placarding under DOT regulations.
The FMCSA’s parking brake standard, 49 CFR 393.41(a), requires that every commercial motor vehicle manufactured since March 1990 (with the following four exceptions) be equipped with a parking brake system adequate to hold the vehicle or combination under any condition of loading.
However, agricultural commodity trailers, converter dolly, heavy hauler, and pulpwood trailers must carry and use chocking blocks to prevent movement when parked. Section 393.43(d) also requires that the trailer’s brakes be applied automatically upon breakaway from the towing vehicle and maintained for at least 15 minutes.
In April 2001, OSHA instructed its regional offices that enforcement personnel are not to cite its wheel chocking requirements at 1910.178(k)(1) or 1910.178(m)(7) with regard to commercial motor vehicles. OSHA is developing enforcement guidelines for further clarification.