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Chocking Equipment Safely

Wheel chocks are simple tools that stop a machine from moving when other systems fail. Using them well is a habit, and it is worth learning the right way from reliable sources.

What does a wheel chock actually do?

A chock is a wedge or block placed against a wheel to help keep a parked or serviced machine from rolling. It adds a physical barrier that does not depend on hydraulics, linkages or a driver's memory.

Chocks are a backup layer. Parking brakes, transmissions and hitch connections all come first, and the chock covers the case where one of them fails or is set incorrectly.

When should you use them?

Think about any time a person is working near a vehicle or trailer that could move: unhitching a wagon, loading or unloading, doing maintenance, parking on or near a grade, or leaving a trailer detached. The National Agricultural Safety Database has material on chocking and blocking that is worth reading.

If you are not sure whether a situation calls for a chock, use one. It costs very little time compared with the consequences of a rolling machine.

• Unhitching or hitching trailers and wagons
• Working under or beside parked equipment
• Loading and unloading
• Any parking on uneven ground

How do you choose and place chocks?

Size, material and placement depend on the vehicle weight, the surface and the slope. Those are technical details, so follow your machine's manual and recognized safety guidance rather than a rule of thumb from memory.

In general terms, chocks should fit the tires, sit firmly against the ground, and be placed so they resist the direction the machine would move. If the ground is soft, icy or loose, a chock may slide, so move to firmer ground where you can.

What mistakes are common?

Using a rock, a piece of scrap wood or a brick is a frequent substitute, and these can slip, crack or roll away. Using chocks that are too small for the tire is another, as is placing them on only one side without a reason.

A chock also cannot make up for a machine left running, a missing key or an unset brake. Treat each safeguard as one part of a complete routine.

Where should chocks be kept?

Store them where they are needed: in the tractor cab or toolbox, on the trailer, or at a labeled spot near the parking area. A chock that is hard to find will be skipped on a busy day.

Check them periodically for cracks, wear and damage, and replace those that are worn. Keep a pair for each location where machines are routinely parked or serviced.

How do you teach others to use them?

Show new workers and teen family members the routine, and let them practice with you watching. Explain the reason, not just the rule, because people follow routines they understand.

Training from recognized sources, such as extension programs and farm safety organizations, can give hands-on practice. Ask your local office what is offered near you.

How do chocks fit into a full safe-parking and service routine?

A good routine layers protection. Park on level ground when you can, set the brake, lower implements, shut off the engine, remove the key and then place chocks. For service work, add the lockout and support steps the manufacturer lists, and never rely on a single safeguard.

Trailers and wagons deserve special attention because they are often detached and left alone. A trailer that is not attached to a tractor has no engine and no driver, so if it is on a slope the only thing keeping it still may be a brake or a chock. Make blocking part of the unhitching routine.

Write the routine on a simple card or sign in the shop. People who are tired, rushed or new will follow a written list more reliably than one they are trying to recall. Review the list at the start of each season and update it when equipment changes.

• Keep chocks paired and stored at each parking and service spot
• Check chocks for cracks and wear at the start of each season
• Teach every worker why the routine exists, not only the steps
• Ask your local extension office about hands-on training
• Add chock steps to the written unhitching and parking routine
• Replace any chock that is cracked, chipped or slides on the surface

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Farm Safety Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.