What a Water Tanker Does
The jobs of a water tanker, the sites it works on, and what this familiarisation course does and does not give you.
8 min
Activities: 0 of 2
A water tanker (also called a water truck or water bowser) is a heavy truck with a large tank of water on its chassis, a pump, and pipes and nozzles to spray or deliver the water. The tanker in this course is built on a 6x4 rigid chassis: three axles, two of them driven, with the tank fixed on top. Its tank holds about 18 000 litres.
Water tankers do several jobs:
- Dust suppression: spraying haul roads and work areas to keep dust down.
- Compaction: adding water to soil and road base so it can be compacted properly.
- Water supply: delivering water to site for concrete, washing or other uses.
- Washing: cleaning roads, wheels and equipment.
Where water tankers work
Watering earthworks and site roads, and supplying water for compaction and concrete.
Why a water tanker needs its own safety knowledge
Water looks harmless. But a tank of water is a heavy, moving load. It surges when the truck brakes and turns, and it can push the truck forward or roll it over. The tanker also brings work at height on top of the tank, a confined space inside it, a pump driven by the engine, and a spray that can make roads slippery for everyone else.
The rest of this course covers the parts, liquid surge and rollover, the walk-around check, filling, pumping and spraying, and finally work at height, confined spaces, parking and emergencies.
Which of these is a main job of a water tanker on a quarry?
Ready to go?
Delvane Offshore needs a water tanker driver for its onshore yard and well pads. You drive tipper trucks and have finished this online course. The supervisor asks if you can start on the tanker this afternoon.