FIRST LOAD
Anheuser Bush, Jonesboro,ar to Shawnee Milling, Shawnee, OK. 5 hours waiting to load, 1 hour to load...1 hour waiting to unload, 3 hours unloading. Good start huh? The stuff was rice feed meal loaded above the bows before shaking down which meant there was feed on top of the sides. The guy unloading in front of me cleaned his off the top by walking the side rail and sweeping it off. I figure there has to be a better way? One miss step from up there and a fellow could be all busted up. He also crawled under the trailer and up into the hopper to sweep out the rest. I figured this is a common practice which I did also but it seems to me that a little brain power could figure out a better way. I scooted along the top with an air hose and cleaned off the top rail. Not a very good way but I was not about to walk on it about 11' in the air where if I fell the option (if I had one)was in the hopper or on the concrete. I also used the air on the upper parts of the hopper as well as blowing out the area under the front top. Maybe I was being to paticular. Someone posted earlier about the broom with extension handles. I tried to find one at Home Depot but didn't find one. The poster said they were at Lowes but I'll have to try another town to find a Lowes store. That is high on my list. Another person told me to use air for cleaning which I think is a good idea. I've done that for cleaning equipment for years. I think I will make a nossle with a long extension, maybe 12' or more (two six foot sections that can be fastened together) for cleaning from the walkway on each end. Crawling under and up in the hopper may have to be done sometimes but im not as young as I used to be and I would like to avoid that as much as possible. I tied the ropes in each end but seeing as how slick it was I didn't try using them. The guy unloading before me said his boss had removed the ropes from their trailers after a driver was in the hopper cleaning and grabbed the rope as he was falling and jerked his shoulder out of joint. My agenda this weekend is installing an air hookup near the middle of the trailer and making the extension nossles as well as finding that broom with extension handles. If anyone has any advice on better ways to clean the trailer please let me know. I'd rather use my head than my back when possible. Also thanks everyone for the information you have given me allready and especially for the phone calls. I appreciate the help from the call the other day and the offer to feel free to call him back if I had more questions. I'd call you now but I lost your number. Thanks again.