Loss Control

Transportation Secretary Announces Driver Pre-Employment Screening Program

On October 7, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced that it will launch a new Driver Pre-Employment Screening Program that will give motor carriers access to information they could previously not obtain. Until now, prospective employers mainly had access to MVRs, and whatever information they could obtain from prior employers or background checks from private investigation companies.

The new program will allow Motor Carriers (with a signed consent form from the employee) access to all crash information as well as driver inspections. Historically, these records had been only available to federal officials and the employee himself through the Freedom of Information Act.

In the end, the change is designed to give motor carriers a better opportunity for more thorough screening of driving candidates.

Refer to this link for additional information --> http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/about/news/news-releases/2009/pre-employment-screening.aspx

FMCSA holding Public Listening Sessions

As many are aware, CSA 2010 (Comprehensive Safety Analysis) is designed to assess the safety performance of the motor carrier industry, and will attempt to change unsafe behaviors of both motor carriers and drivers.  The current system in place, SAFER, mainly addresses only the carrier's safety performance.  Several states have been active in this model thus far.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will be holding two public listening session webinars in December about the agency's CSA (Comprehensive Safety Analysis) initiative.  Past listening sessions have been used to solicit the public's input for improvements in monitoring and assessing the safety performance tool.

The upcoming sessions are designed to inform the public on the latest progress of CSA 2010, as well as answer questions.  Details about the dates and times of these web sessions are available by using the following link:  http://csa2010.fmcsa.dot.gov/listeningSessions/

Additional information regarding CSA 2010 can be found here: http://csa2010.fmcsa.dot.gov/

5 Ways to Help Prevent Slips, Trips, & Falls

Each year billions of dollars in liability and workers compensation losses occur  from slip, trip, and fall (STF) accidents with injury or death occurring.  They happen in workplace settings, public facilities, and in the home; and can be from the same level or from heights.   It is always one of the leading types of losses year after year.  What can you do to prevent such an occurrence from happening?

 

Understand the factors that cause STF, and try to prevent them. 

 

Causes include:

• improperly constructed or maintained surfaces
• hazards that are not adequately identified or barricaded
• personnel wearing footwear that is not meant for the surface
• fraud
• improperly trained employees

Other factors contributing to a loss are vision, age, hearing, health, and physical abilities of the population.  Our society is aging, so the chance of this type of loss occurring in the future is likely to increase.

5 ways to help minimize loss potential:

• Regularly inspect all inside and outside walking and working surfaces, and make sure they are properly maintained per industry standard. Codes and standards vary per location and setting; and are addressed by such organizations such as OSHA, ANSI, DOT, NSC, and others. Remember that the more contrast in color, texture, pattern, markings and lighting help identify the surfaces or deviation of the surface height.
• Good housekeeping and visibility are very important.
• If you have control over personnel, encourage or mandate that the proper footwear is worn.
• Analyze the surface itself and either install slip-resistant flooring, or use cleaning agents and coatings that increase the friction factor (less slippery).
• Floor mats that are used must be of the proper type, cleaned on a regular basis, and replaced if worn or curled edges exist.

You have more control over slip, trip, and fall losses than you think; so take action!
  

Links:

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/walkingworkingsurfaces/index.html

http://www.stanford.edu/dept/EHS/prod/mainrencon/occhealth/slip_trip_fall_prevention.pdf

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/safety_haz/falls.html

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/hospital/hazards/slips/slips.html

 

About the Author:
This blog post is authored by guest author Bill Doliber, a Senior Risk Control Representative for Westfield Insurance. Bill is based out of our Richmond, Virginia office and has 28 years of experience in the property and casualty insurance industry. He has a risk control background in boiler and machinery, large property accounts, restaurant associations, the carpet industry, contracting, and general industry.

 

 

Wide-Base Tires: Advantages & Disadvantages…

Recently, more employers have begun using wide-base tires (sometimes referred to as “super singles”, which is actually a trademarked name of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.) on their trailers instead of conventional duals. So what are the predominate advantages and disadvantages?

Advantages:

v      Weight savings:  Duals add up to 1,300 lbs over depending on whether you are replacing both the drive and trailer tires and whether you are using them with aluminum wheels in place of steel.  This may allow extra payload in the trailer.

v      Fuel economy:  Reduced rolling resistance of one wheel versus two (10-15% less contact area). By most estimations, the fuel economy increases from 1% to 4%.

v      Environmental: Related to the above, since tire rolling resistance accounts for nearly 10% to 15% of truck energy use (the Federal EPA averages 13%), this means less energy use (fuel), and with thousands (or millions) of trucks out there on the roads, a greener industry.

v      Improved, softer ride:  Less side-shimmy because the tire is so wide the vehicle is not susceptible to the normal road rutting or water drain grooving on the road surfaces. This means better control in these instances.

v      Maintenance:  again- one tire verses two to mount.

v      Dual tire/wheel matching:  Eliminates these concerns.

v      Improved brake cooling:  An obvious safety issue.

Disadvantages:

v      Road Contact:  A safety issue. Contrary to popular belief, wide base tires do not provide more road surface contact than duel standard tire configurations. A conventional trailer tire size is 11R22.5 and the most common wide base tire size is 445/50R22.5. One 445/50R22.5 is NOT double two 11R22.5 tires. So using (2) 11R22.5 tires gives an overall tire footprint of 124 sq inches. Using one 445/50R22.5 has a footprint of 111 sq inches (10% less contact area).

v      Higher sensitivity to overload: Due to the reduced tire-surface contact area, the wide base tire is doing more “work” than two duals. Any under-inflation would be a more critical issue.

v      Heat:  Again, if not properly inflated, would generate more heat. Running even 10% under inflation will lead to premature tire removal because of irregular wear and tire durability issues.

v      Traction:  Due to the shortened lateral contact length of the wide base verses the double tire configuration, there may be less traction due to the physics of a lengthened lateral ‘lever’.

v      Wear pattern:  More sensitive to wear. Under-inflated wide-base tires will lead to fast centerline wear and overinflation will result in fast shoulder wear. 

v      No limp-home capability:  Although not recommended to limp “home”, obviously limping out of danger is a major advantage. Duals offer this ability.

v      Weight:  Wide based are obviously individually heavier, adding a burden to maintenance staff (and increasing the possibility of injury and maybe requiring assistance from another maintenance technician).

So, to go “wide-base” or not? As wide-base tire quality and technology improve, we will see more use simply because the advantages (though perhaps fewer in number) are greater. “Green” advantages (decreased energy use) are too important to our earth not to use them. The question may be more an issue of “when” rather than “if”.

REF: 

-          US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Transportation & Air Quality

-          PSI Tire Digest, copyright 2009

Road Construction High Visibility Garments

OSHA has recently released a standard interpretation letter on road construction crew apparel requirements.   Although road construction crews have been required to wear high visbility warning garments, OSHA has clarified that these garments are required beyond the Federal Highway Administration's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).  In summary, the OSHA letter states that all highway and road construction workers must wear high-visibility apparel regardless of whether the MUTCD requires them.

Fall weather has unique driving dangers

It's pretty well understood that winter driving has many obvious hazards associated with it.  However, we often overlook (and sometimes ignore) the less obvious hazards that the fall season presents to drivers.  Recognizing this, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has published some good reminders of common fall hazards, as well as preventive measures that drivers can take when preparing to operate a vehicle this fall. 

Below is an overview of the hazards, as well as some suggestions for avoiding them:

• Wet leaves on the roadway can be as slippery as ice. They also can obscure traffic lines and other pavement markings, making driving in unfamiliar areas particularly difficult. Motorists should slow down and use extra caution on leaf-covered roadways.
• Fog and sun glare can present other fall hazards for drivers. When driving in fog, motorists should use low beam headlights since the high beam setting creates glare and reduces visibility. Not only will headlights enhance visibility of your vehicle, state law requires headlights be on when wipers are in use.
• Sun glare can be most problematic during sunrise and sunset which coincide with morning and evening rush hours in the fall. The intense glare from the sun on the horizon can blind a driver, causing an unexpected traffic slowdown. Drivers can prepare for the glare by keeping a set of sunglasses handy, removing clutter from their sun visors and keeping the inside of their vehicle’s windshield clean.
• Also, morning frost and icy spots on the road can also cause problems as overnight temperatures drop toward freezing. Motorists should pay particular attention to bridges, overpasses and shaded areas on roadways where icy spots can form on the pavement. In addition to exercising caution while driving, motorists should clear their vehicles’ windows of frost before travel. Morning drivers should also watch carefully for students walking along roadways or waiting for school buses.
  

PennDOT also offers the following fall driving tips:

• Increase your following distance in severe weather, at dusk and dawn and when in an area with wet leaves. If you are being tailgated, let the other driver pass.
• Check your vehicle’s headlights, taillights and turn signals to ensure they are working properly since darkness will be a part of many driver’s morning and/or evening commutes. Make sure you turn on your headlights as the sunlight fades.
• Have your vehicle’s heating and wiper systems checked to ensure they are working properly.
• Be sure you have tires with sufficient tread depth in case of an early season snow.
• Visit your state's Department of Transportation web site or call them by telephone to check traffic conditions before heading out (typically, the contact information can be found in the telephone book or the yellow pages).

Additional information and tips from PennDOT can be found at the following links:

http://www.drivesafepa.org/Resource-Center/Traffic-Safety-Publications/

http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/home/hotatdot.shtml

Halloween Safety Tips

In a couple of weeks our neighborhoods are going to be filled with all kinds of witches, ghosts and goblins out for some trick-or-treat fun.  The following tips will help keep it a fun and safe experience for everyone involved.

Tips for Kids

• Costumes should be flame retardant and short enough that they do not pose a tripping hazard.  Costumes should also be warm enough for the evening or large enough to wear over warm clothing.
• Many costumes are dark colored, so it is important for children to carry glowsticks or flashlights to make them visible to passing cars.  It is also a good idea to put reflective tape on the costume and candy bucket to increase visibility.
• Masks should fit well enough that children have a full range of vision and can breathe easily.
• Children should be accompanied by an adult.  Older kids should trick-or-treat with a group and stay within boundaries that you have set, maybe a couple of streets or a small neighborhood.  Be sure to review safety tips with your children, including staying on sidewalks and not getting into cars with strangers. 
• Children should be warned not to eat any candy until parents have a had chance to inspect it.  Candy that is only partially wrapped should be discarded.  Home made treats are wonderful, but should be discarded unless you know that they came from a safe source.

Tips for Adults

• Drive slowly through neighborhoods.  Children get very excited during trick-or-treat and don't always pay attention to traffic.
• Lock your doors at home if you are going out.  With so many people out at night for trick-or-treat, suspicions are not raised if a stranger approaches your home.
• Leave several lights on inside your house to deter burglars.  Make sure doors and windows are secured.  

For more good tips, please visit the following websites:

http://www.cdc.gov/family/halloween/

http://www.halloween-safety.com/

http://www.lacity.org/lafd/hween.htm

The 6 W's of Risk Assessment

As risk managers, and a representative of the company, it is in the best interest of the management group to follow the “General Duty Clause” of the OSHA Act of 1970, which states “Each employer shall furnish . . . a place of employment which is free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees..."

 

The question is – is your company proactive in protecting employees, or reactive – after the incident?

Whether you are performing a Job Hazard Analysis on a specific task/activity or are involved in incident investigation, some questions to ask when evaluating a task or activity include “The 6 W’s”:

 

ü   What is being done?  Is it necessary?

ü   What useful purposes does it serve?

ü  Where should it be done?

ü   When should it be done?

ü   Who is the best qualified person to do the job?

ü   How can it be done Better?  Easier?  Safer?

 

These questions can assist in evaluating the hazards associated with any job.  Just remember – anyone involved in performing a Job Hazard Analysis, or an incident investigation, should be familiar with the raw materials and products, the processes and operations, machinery and equipment, and the intended result of the task.

 

For more information, go to

http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/fivesteps.htm

 

Banning Texting while Driving

Recently, the Department of Transportation held a "Distracted Driving Summit". This 2 day event was held to discuss distracted driving issues, which the DOT is calling an epidemic. At the conclusion of the summit, Transportation Secretary , Ray LaHood, announced that the Obama Administration will be drafting formal legislation that will put a federal ban on texting for truck drivers. This legislation will also create some form of restrictions on cell phone use while driving as well.

Many business operations use their cell phones as a form of dispatching or communicating with drivers, so this legislation will likely have a direct impact on how they will communicate.  Given the safety ramifications of texting and using cell phones while operating any type of vehicle, and the impending government restrictions, business management should review and addresse "Distracted Driving" as a part of their fleet safety policies and operational procedures.

Further, there appears to be coming legislation that will also put restrictions on any "in-cab technology" that could be considered a distraction.  Listed below are links to articles referencing in-cab technology use.

http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=22856&utm_source=alert&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=newsletter

http://www.georgiainjurylawblog.com/archives/auto-accident-claims-ntsb-bans-employees-from-cell-phone-use-while-driving.html

http://www.federalnewsradio.com/?nid=27&sid=1757979

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/01/11/2009-01-11_group_calls_for_total_ban_on_cell_phone_.html

 

6 Ways to Help Prevent Farm Fatalities

A recent Insurance Journal article reported that farm fatalities in the state of Indiana increased in 2008 for the second year in a row.  This increase follows three decades of declines.  The information was developed from the Purdue University's Agricultural Safety and Health Program.   In 2006, 8 farm related fatalities were recorded in the state, the lowest since Purdue University began to keep records in the 1940s.

The top two causes of farm related deaths were tractor rollovers and machinery crushings or pinnings.  The Purdue Report includes several recommendations for safety measures that farmers can take.

• Avoid working when tired. Farmers should take frequent breaks and get enough sleep.
• Keep all equipment shields in place. If a shield is removed to work on something, be sure to put it back on.
• Use all safety locks and safety equipment. Don't override safety locks thinking they will slow down productivity.
• Use tractors with rollover protective structures.
• Make sure the slow-moving vehicle emblem is visible and in good condition on all tractors and equipment.
• Use hazard lights when operating tractors and equipment on roadways.

Additional farm safety information can be found at the following websites:

www.cdc.gov/niosh/nasd/nasdhome/html

http://www.abe.iastate.edu/safety/

www.agsafety.psu.edu

The report coincides with National Farm Safety and Heath Week, September 20th - 26th.  Additional information on Farm Safety and Health Week can be found in the Agricultural Safety Section of the National Safety Council's website: http://www.nsc.org/resources/issues/agrisafe.aspx

About the Author: Craig Welsh is an Executive in the Agribusiness Division of Westfield Insurance.  He oversees Westfield's Agribusiness operation that focuses on insuring all segments of agriculture (farming and agribusiness customers) in all 19 active states.   Craig has worked in a variety of underwriting and management functions over the past 16 years with Westfield.  Craig has completed both the CPCU (Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter) and AFIS (Agribusiness and Farm Insurance Specialist) Designations.  He has an undergraduate degree in Economics from West Virginia Wesleyan College and a Masters Degree in Insurance Management from Boston University.