In most of the loading facilities we operate. the loading is unassisted, automated and controlled by the driver in its entirety. Make sure you use excessive caution to avoid any incident. When in doubts, stop the activity and retrace the steps following the security protocols. The incidents on the industrial plants are much heavily scrutinised and the repercussions are sensibly more serious. Depending on the severity of the indictment, you might receive permanent acces ban on the facility and in serious cases, the transport company might lose the contract.

1. Make sure you plan in advance so that you will arrive with at least 5 minutes on the premise. Before entering the premises run a final visual check to ensure:
   
   • You have all the required ADR – Bitumen PPE equipment;
   • You have the loading number;
   • You know the previous loaded product in the trailer you are using (check the load compatibility matrix and call the office in unsure);
   • You have either the client issued RFID cards for both the truck and the trailer (if the case) or all the licenses and documents of the the trailer and the truck;
   • You have your all your commercial driving licenses in original;
   • There are no leakings and there is no visible damage of the tanker;
     
   • The trailer handrail is lowered and the top covers are closed;
   • All the valves are closed;
     
   • The emergency “butterfly” valve is functional and promptly activated by the emergency button;
   • There is no smoke / fire present (at the truck or in the nearby vicinity);
   • Both the truck and the trailer are leveled;
   • The feets of the trailer’s landing gear are fully retracted;
   • The engine and the compressor are turned off;
   • There are no cables, or hoses hanging from or under the truck;
   • Both the truck and trailer fire extinguishers are present and within the validity date;
   • All the tyres are properly inflated and in good shape;
   • All the wheel nuts are present and tightened;
   • All the ADR placarding and markings are still in place and complete (e.g. orange plates and hazard diamonds);
2. In most cases you will have to swipe the driver card to get access on the premise. On some location you will have to park the truck in front of the drivers reception and manually check in. Report to drivers reception with the following:
• Driver documents (e.g. driver licence, ADR licence);
• The folder with the truck documents;
• The trailer documents;
• The loading number provided by the dispatcher and the type of product of the previous load; 
• Company/Truck phone;
• A pen and paper for taking notes;
• If you manually checked in, you will have to wait for the queue in the parking lot. Pay attention to the displays in the parking area, looking for your indicative (e.g. either your truck registration number, your site access card number, the lord number etc.); DO NOT leave the parking area until you have been cleared/instructed to do so. When heading for the loading bay, you will be required to use the weighbridge;
3. Head for the loading bay and wait in the queue. Once the truck in front of you pullen in the loading bay, you can prepare for the loading (e.g. get your PPE etc.). Remember to comply with the instructions and the safety rules (e.g. wearing the seat belt, adhering to the maximum speed, following the designated routes etc.);
4. Record in Transics the details of your loading as per the requirements;
   
5. Wait for the green light or for the barrier to raise. Enter the loading bay and position the truck as per the instructions (e.g. making sure that you stop at a specific marking on the pavement, or that your manhole is aligned with the position of the loading arm etc.). Once in properly positioned in the loading bay the light will turn red and/or the barrier will descend. 
   
6. You will be required to connect an earthing clamp to your trailer. Is some locations you will be required to use wheel chocks. 
• On the newer 32.000l tankers, you will be required to elevate the front of the trailer (by inflating the air cushions on the truck). Since these are smaller tankers, the loading level is up to the 90% and if foam is produced during the loading, it will trigger overflow sensor and stop the loading before the quantity is achieved;  
7. It is your obligation to make sure that the main bottom valve(s) from your trailer is/are in close position. If you have multiple compartments communicating you need to make sure that the valves between compartments are closed too.
8. Make sure the air valve is closed. Loading with the air valve open might result in hot product entering the air ducts and clogging them. In exceptional cases, bitumen foam will travel through the air ducts and leak on the on the loading bay which will automatically launch an investigation. 
9. Go to the control unit (usually positioned on first level, with direct access to the trailer manhole) and register your presence (e.g. typing a code, scanning a card etc.). Loading data will be shown on the screen. Check the details and  confirm them. Use the intercom to notify the on-duty staff regarding any discrepancies. 
10. A safety checklist will be displayed. Follow through until everything is green and you can advance to the next screen. Some of the checks might include steps like:
• Repositioning / connecting the earthlink;
• Lower the platform / safety railing system on top of the tanker semi-trailer;
• Release, adjust and position the folding steps;
• Connect the lifeline to your harness. For the next steps you will have to have the long gauntlet gloves on and the visor down;
• Open the lid of the manhole. Verify the manhole lid gaskets. If it is damaged and you are not confident that can securely store the hot bitumen in the tanker DO NOT Load! As a safety extra step, check the interior of the tanker for any water, if it is present pause the loading and remedy the problem. DO NOT load product over water!
• Extend and position the loading arm over the filling nozzle. ATTENTION: when lowering the loading arm residual amounts of hot product might pour out of the filling nozzle. Never alter the height of the loading arm unless you are on top of the manhole;
• Once the filling cone is correctly positioned over the manhole, you will have to activate a safety which will pneumatically press the cone against the manhole. 
11. Return to the control panel. If all the prerequisites have been achieved, you will be presented with a screen where you will have to define the loading quantity:
• If you are loading a multi compartment trailer, type the quantity you want loaded into the chamber to which the loading arm is positioned. Pay close attention to weight distribution on the axle. If unsure call the dispatch and ask for further instructions;
• If you are loading a 37.000 l tanker (one of the older models), depending on the configuration of your truck, you shall be loading around 24.500 kg if bitumen;
• If you are loading a 32.000 l tanker (the new, smaller model), you shall be able to load 27.000 kg of bitumen;
12. Once everything confirmed, you can start the loading. For the next 30 sec pay close attention to the sounds coming from inside the loading arm or the tanker. If you can spot any unusual sounds (e.g. boiling water) pause the loading and investigate; Take all the necessary safety precautions before resume loading. DO NOT Press the STOP button or worst EMERGENCY STOP button unless necessary. You will not be able to resume the loading;
13. All the sites are fitted with a sort of dead man’s hand (e.g. pressing a button, stepping on a pedal, squeezing a clamp in your hand etc.). You will be required to operate the dead man’s mechanism for the duration of the loading. It is strictly forbidden to override the operation of the safety handle and will result in immediate ban on the site. 
14. Once the loading is completed in the current compartment, move the loading arm to the next one and follow the steps 19 to 22 for each chamber. 
15. When the whole trailer is loaded, release the dead man’s hand and position a dripping collection bucket near the loading arm, in a position opposite to the wind. 
16. Note: anytime you will be stepping from the platform to the trailer, you will have to have the long gauntlet gloves on and the visor down. 
17. Release the pneumatic safety and slowly, elevate the loading arm. The loading nozzle is normally submerged into the bitumen. Wait for the hot product to pour out of the nozzle until the dripping stops (up to 2-3 min). 
18. Take the dripping collection bucket and while elevating the loading arm, slide the bucket under the nozzle and attach the handle of the bucket to the hook under the loading cone. You can now freely move the loading arm, while any further drippings will fall in the bucket. Failing to secure the drippings into a bucket will result in droplets of bitumen being spread by the wind all over the truck cabin and the body of the tanker semi-trailer. 
19. Verify again the manhole lid gaskets. Close the manhole ensuring that the lid is pressed against the gaskets and completely sealing the manhole. Fasten the top cover by rotating the swing bracketed bolts, one at a time, following a star pattern. Secure it in place by hand and use the packing puller tool to ensure that the bracketed bolts are fully tightened. Do not use a hammer or other type of tools to force tighten the bolts. 
20. Close the metallic cover of the manhole and secure it in place. 
21. Sept on the platform and raise the folding stairs and the safety railings. Confirm the loading completion on the termina if required. 
22. Descend to the truck level and remove the earthing clamp. If all the steps prerequisites are completed, the barrier will raise or the light will turn green. Do not leave the bay if the light is still red. Reposition the loading arm, press the safety railing system all the way up and check the terminal for any other requirements. If still necessary use the intercom to ask for further instructions from the site on-duty personnel. 
23. Turn the truck engine and level both the truck and the trailer.
24. Check again the air valve. If it is not in the close position, this is your last chance to avoid a spillage. DO NOT move the truck with the top air valve open!
25. Move out of the loading bay on the green light and head for the weighbridge or parking areas. In some places you will receive the transport documents from a printer attached to the weight bridge. In other locations the printer will be positioned near the loading terminal or all the way at the exit. 
26. If your delivery is outside the EU you will have to go with the load documents to the Driver reception to obtain a DANGEROUS GOODS NOTE (DANGEROUS GOODS DECLARATION) for the customs. Do not leave the premises without it!
27. In most of the cases, after you receive and confirm the load documents you are free to leave the site. 
28. Undress the PPE and use the wash room to remove any traces of dry product or cleaning agent that might have entered in contact with your skin.
    
29. Record in Transics the completion of the loading process. You shall report as a minimum:
    
• the loading location;
• the reference number; 
• the loading quantity in kg (e.g 27.300 KG);
30. Run a final visual check around the truck to ensure:
• You have loaded all the used PPE stored back in the truck; 
• You have collected all the driver, truck, trailer and load, cards or documents;
• No product is leaking; 
•  All the air ducts valves are closed;
• The emergency “butterfly” valve in close position; 
•  Both the truck and the trailer are leveled;
• The feets of the trailer’s landing gear are fully retracted; 
• There are no cables, or hoses hanging from or under the truck;
• Both the truck and trailer fire extinguishers are present; 
• All the tyres are properly inflated and in good shape;
• All the wheel nuts are present and tightened;
• The correct orange plates and the hazard diamonds are displayed as per the load documentation;
31. The delivery destination is on the load documents. Have a safe trip!