Everything You Need to Know About Side Guards

In 1994,  Sweden contributed a new concept to road safety called VisionZero and summarized simply as “no loss of life is acceptable.” This not only became law, but was introduced globally as a road safety reform strategy with a target goal of reducing road deaths and injuries to zero, not simply lowering current statistics. 

Most notably, this shifted the responsibility of road safety off the individual. VisionZero includes improved and safer road design, adding vehicle safety protections, new transportation policies, and redesigned road spaces so motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists all benefit. The EU, known for its cycling and walking traditions, easily embraced and adopted the concepts.

However, in the car-centric U.S., there is less enthusiasm, despite the increase in e-scooters, bike owners, and pedestrians—largely the outcome of the pandemic. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation newsletter of 2021, the roadway fatality rate in the U.S. actually increased and is three times that of Ireland, Israel, Japan, Netherlands, and Spain; and four to five times that of the United Kingdom, Sweden, Singapore, and Norway.

It might be an easy assumption that accidents are the result of high speed, but some of the most horrific accidents actually occur with people being trapped under the rear wheels of the slower moving trash collecting vehicles. To protect the public, especially pedestrians and cyclists, New York City adopted VisionZero and has mandated that as of the first of this year (January 1, 2023), all trade waste vehicles over 10,000 lbs. must be equipped with side guard protections.

To do good and do well

Executive Director and CEO of the Solid Waste Association of America (SWANA), David Biderman, weighs in on how these latest policies will advance the role of waste vehicles in reducing injury and fatalities.

“These regulations stem from the VisionZero program and local governments, particularly in urban dense settings, all want to reduce the number of pedestrian and bicycle fatal accidents to zero.”

He adds that the original deadline for New York City vehicles was 2024, but the date was revised by the City Council who accelerated the mandate of side guard installation to January 1, 2023.

However, while the not-for-profit VisionZeroNetwork reported in August of 2022 that more than 45 U.S. communities across the country have embraced Vision Zero (predominantly in the larger urban cities), Biderman says there are complicating factors to achieving goals.

“In recent years we are experiencing how the vehicle-pedestrian interface has become increasingly complex. Nearly everyone resorted to home deliveries in the pandemic lockdown, which has now become a new way of life, three years later.

“Think of all those retail pick up and deliveries and a dramatic increase of trucks on the road. Then add in the growing number of bikers, e-scooters, and pedestrians, some of whom are less attentive with earbuds and headphones and devices. The distractions are incredible. Do they always know what is happening around them? Do they hear a truck backing?”

Biderman says, “We intend SWANA to be proactive on safety,” and one of their goals he reports is the newly approved strategy for “getting waste collection workers off the list of ten most dangerous jobs in the US.”

He explains that connecting with the industry on a frequent basis is part of this effort.

"We have a weekly safety newsletter and we send this to our 11,000+ members. This will often include an incident-specific message around a hazard that either has, or may likely occur. We present these in English and Spanish and French, and the purpose is to give supervisors and managers some discussion focus during their weekly safety meetings. They will have something in front of them and our intent is to be acting proactively, getting this to them as an email to use on Monday morning.

Did you know?

It’s estimated there are over 1 billion bikes around the world. Despite the enormous growth of car usage in the last decade, China is still the world’s cycling leader with more than 450 million bikes, in a population of about 1.5 billion people. While US cyclists have increased to about 100 million bicycles (and we have one fourth the Chinese population) Japan, at half the number of people here, keeps the third position with more than 75 million bikes. Long known for their cycling enthusiasm, the Netherlands with just 17+ million people, have nearly that many cyclists (16.5 bikes in traffic) but report only 207 fatalities, compared to our 1,000 cyclist deaths in 2021.

Adding that when SWANA formed in 1962, “safety was one of the reasons why it was created,” Biderman says.

“We’ve now become the largest solid waste association with 11,000 members in 47 chapters. Today our mission has four goals and safety heads the list. Second, we need to be climate champions and view resources through a climate lens. Our third goal is to make try and make this industry an employer of choice where people are eager to go to work because there are opportunities to do good and do well. Finally, we want to develop new programs to encourage young people to enter this growing industry that can offer a good career path.”

The VisionZero has opened the door to collection vehicle safety, and manufacturers and services more than welcome the opportunities to be part of this new paradigm.

A test walk proves the point

Francesco Copeta, Director of Sales, U.S. Division of Italy-based Takler Group says, “I’ve been working for this company for 21 years and the timing of our opening a U.S. operation was perfect.”

He said the company, which has been supplying the trailer market throughout Europe since 1989 with accessories, including side guards, was already planning to bring their line to the U.S. in 2016. 

“Then, when New York City announced a mandatory side guards installation for all city-owned and trash collection vehicles by 2024, now moved up to the first of this year, we were well poised to supply that need.

“We've been making tool boxes, both plastic and metal; plastic fenders, steps and ladders to access trailers, wheel chocks, fire extinguisher cabinets, so many accessories, and these are all mostly for safety, to protect the driver and people. So, I don't think I am overstating the case when I say we really know what we're doing in this arena.”

Copeta says that New York City needed a supplier that had this seasoned experience making side protection, and they needed one who could supply them in fast turnaround, as well for installation. After meeting with various officials, Copeta assured them, “We do side guards on a big scale, and we've been doing them a long time, plus our system is easy to install as well.”

Reporting that their system can be installed in four to six hours on a most collection vehicles he explains how it all goes together.

“We supply hinged, stainless-steel brackets that are installed on the frame chassis, and being hinged they can swing up and stay up, allowing access for the driver to get to the undercarriage. These brackets can be welded/bolted on the body or chassis and are very tough with a hot galvanized surface.

“Then the rails are an aluminum extruded profile that attach to these and we provide aluminum corner pieces with plastic end caps to avoid any sharp points. We own our own extrusion plant in Italy, so we have a ready supply of product tooling to fit whatever configuration you may need. Plus, our experience with trucks across the EU for many years offers extensive customer service knowledge. For example, we have a safety pin system so the system won't open while driving.”

He says it is a proven concept that saves lives. To reinforce the point, he said he did a pilot test in L.A.

“What we did was put out two dump trucks, one had side rails retrofitted and the other one did not. Then, we made people walk next to it and tell us how they safe they felt. Clearly, the rail protected vehicle won out!”

Although there is expense in adding these to vehicles, “There is no price on even one saved life.”

“Although VisionZero started in Sweden in 1997 with a parliamentary act, the concept spread across the EU. But if you don't have regulations, you need incentives for people to do the right thing,” Copeta affirms.

He recounts the experience of a girl who was a VisionZero consultant in Chicago who was out riding a bike and got in an accident with a truck.

“But thankfully she was saved because the truck had side rails. These urban dense populations with an increasing number of cyclists and pedestrians only make the case more urgent for side rails to be on your vehicles.”

One concept Copeta suggests to advance the adoption of side protection would be for insurance companies to offer discounted premiums to companies whose fleets have side rails installed.

“This would not only be good for public safety, but benefit your balance sheet as they avert crippling financial losses in the event of accidents.”

(Underwriters, are you listening?)

No price on any injury

Sal Mastriani, VP of Risk Management & Safety of the New Jersey/New York area's largest waste and recycling service echoes the crucial emphasis on injury and fatality prevention with waste vehicles. He currently is the Safety Chair with the NWRA which is a volunteer position. The NWRA (National Waste & Recycling Association) is a trade association for the private sector waste and recycling industry.

Joining Interstate Waste Services (IWS) in 2013, Mastriani says safety has been a way of life. He cites participating on several committees, including the NYC Safety Symposium and the Business Integrity Commission Safety Committee.

“At IWS we have a close relationship with all these entities, and we have been a big part of the side guard initiative when it started in 2016.”

“The strongest part of our truck is our frame and when a passenger vehicle hits that frame it is immediately a severe incident. And typically, the vehicles are going less than 10 miles an hour.  Nonetheless, if you are in the middle of a right-hand turn, a pedestrian or cyclist could be close enough to be trapped and they are swept under the rear wheels which is a drastically serious situation. Now, with side guards these incidents are prevented and in today’s world with everyone distracted with cell phones, ear buds, and other devices, we need to be very proactive in preventing injury and fatalities,” he says.

“Plus, the side guards are a high visibility reflective yellow so they can be seen even at night.”

New York City has mandated that by January 1, 2023, all waste vehicles be outfitted with side guards, and he reports that not only has IWS complied with that regulation, but they also have additional safety features on their trash collection trucks. 

Mastriani says there are camera systems on all their vehicles giving drivers a real-time perspective of what is around them, and some of the newer models are equipped with assisted braking technology. He says that as technology and innovations continue to advance, the manufacturers are purchasing these new additions to install on vehicles, “such as our routing system. 

“A driver doesn't have to hold up or look at a piece of paper to map out his route. The tablet and screen in the cab is fully automated so your attention can be directed where you need it.

“Currently, we have 800 trucks on the road serving New Jersey and New York daily, and Ohio has our landfill operation. So, we have 30 locations in total. When the side guards became a reality we saw immediately that they prevent people, cars and even animals from getting caught under the wheels, and, they even make the trucks look better.”

Mastriani says that the side guards are installed at the body manufacturer of all their new trucks, and that they use various vendors to supply side rails and guards on existing trucks so that they are in compliance and meeting the new ordinances of this year. 

But safety does not end with devices and installation on the vehicle, as he explains.

“Safety is an integral feature of, and part of, our business culture. Each day we hold safety briefings that includes our route supervisors and their respective team members. We hold these meetings each day, and once the trucks are launched into the field, the route supervisor travels with their teams to observe and evaluate the safety performance. 

“We utilize both Samsara & LYTX camera systems in our trucks, depending on the market area. Dash cams are front and rear-facing cameras that can provide a 360-degree view complete with high-quality video and night vision. The ability to see what really happened can help you save time and money, protect your drivers, maximize efficiency, provide better customer service, and gain peace of mind. The camera systems assist with the challenges our employees face each day such as traffic, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Each of our locations complete a monthly safety meeting that all employees attend. During that time, we cover numerous topics which could include lockout/tagout, heat stress, ice conditions, and real- life scenarios.

“Each morning there is a meeting where senior IWS executive staff review the prior days’ incidents and discuss the root cause of events, and how it can be addressed and prevented in the future. 

“We monitor weather conditions and plan accordingly as to what precautions may need to [be] taken for that day, so we can safely meet our customers’ expectations. The urban dense areas that we service are some of the busiest in the world, and we have to be ready for anything.”

He adds that the NWRA and SWANA committees’ goal of getting the waste and recycling industry off the top ten most dangerous jobs is moving in the right direction. 

“We continue to build our safety culture into our everyday work & personal life. We strive for zero injuries and incidents. We at IWS are #Safety Driven.”

Leveraging that fundamental difference

When it comes to certifying trucks, “there’s a fundamental difference between us in the U.S. and the EU,” says Adam Keane, Executive Vice president of Seattle-based Allied Body Works, Inc, and manufacturer of Walker Blocker® units.

He explains that in the EU, the body builders of vehicles go through type approval, and nothing can be added once the vehicle is manufactured, which would subsequently disallow any further upfits that were not certified. In the U.S., however, that is not the case if upfitters follow pass through certification requirements.

“So, when it comes to side rails on trucks, we saw this as a distinctive advantage. If we were in the EU a company like ours would have to have an exact upfit approved by the vehicle manufacturer. However, when I looked further as the concept of adding side rails, I discovered nobody really make[s] a kit.

“I had an idea that if this was going to be effective in saving lives, we couldn’t do it just on new vehicles, but we needed to make a retrofit, and it would have to be adaptable to the vehicle and meet the VOLPE standards of each respective truck class. This would mean more than simply welding on some side boards.”

And the company could not have been better poised to undertake the project. Keane says that Allied Body, started in 1947 by his great grandfather, is considered a traditional truck equipment upfitter.

“We are a distributor, a fabricator, and we take a bunch of components to make a vehicle work ready. For example, you bring us a chassis, truck, or a van, or anything really, and we’ll add shelving, boxes, rails, dump body, service body, whatever you need. Being a solution provider to meet your vehicle needs is our mission. Walker Blocker is a product name for just one of our lines of truck accessory features.”

Keane says in terms of side rail protections they typically build a custom set for each truck. Customers go online and fill out a measurement form that the company will then use to customize side guard configurations specific to that vehicle. While at the same time, they offer standard kits, or the ability to adjust a kit during install or later.

“You get everything you need to install the guard yourself, since most companies have their own shops to do the work. The brackets are drilled and then bolted on the body and the arms install to the brackets and then you hang the panel on the bracket. Trash trucks take longer to work on than say, a standard delivery truck because of all the accessories and external structures fixed to them. But because we have your vehicle design, yours will literally ‘fill all the gaps,’ perfectly.”

Keane says they currently build Walker Blocker panels which he says are more effective than rails in preventing injuries.

 "We only build the panel styles, and we have a smooth edge down the side of the aluminum support extrusions; these plastic panels slide onto the sides and there are no sharp points or edges anywhere.

“Our pitch to companies is that these are built specifically to your truck measurements, in a quick turnaround and are customized for the configuration of your trash vehicle, whatever it may be. You don't need any special tools and it is a straightforward application. Two people in a few hours will have the job done. Another handy feature is that the side guards have a pin that you can remove, and them fold them up and they stay upright by themselves while you perform maintenance, change filters, check fluids, or anything that requires access to that space.”

He says that in some cases customers will ask his team to fly out and do all the installs on their fleet, which is another service option Allied offers. And, he adds that their side rails exceed the 450 lb. VOLPE force test requirements and can withstand 660 or more lbs. of force impact.

While side guards and rails are not universally mandated throughout every state, Keane makes the compelling argument that vehicles in any urban environment are subject to risk without them.

“It’s really a philosophical position—are you ready to save lives? Preventing injury and fatalities from side impact collisions, cyclists, and pedestrians getting pulled under the truck wheels and run over by rear tires. This is all avoidable. Yes, there is an investment cost, but owners should do this for public safety and also to protect your company from possible financial catastrophe resulting from these accidents. The ROI of those dollars is insurance of its own kind in its own way—you’re keeping the public, and your operators and employees safe and out of harm’s way, and protecting the bottom line of your operation.”

Safety for all

Since 1984, Labrie Environmental Group has been manufacturing collection trucks with the focus on meeting customer needs thro