MEMIC Safety Blog

Traffic Work Zone Safety

 Posted by Hartley Webb

With the sudden appearance of warm spring weather we are already seeing another sign of the season:  road repair, street and parking lot sweeping, and highway cleanup crews.  Transportation incidents are the leading cause of death in the workplace, so take a minute to read over these tips if your employees are exposed to motor vehicle traffic. 

Some employers feel that placing a worker wearing a reflective vest in a traffic zone is acceptable rather than using other exposure control methods.  Employers should control traffic risks by:

1. Eliminating the hazard.  Can the work be done when there is no vehicle traffic?
2. Evaluating engineering controls.  For example, can barriers be used to separate workers from all moving traffic?
3. Implementing administrative controls.  Ensure adequate training and strict work rules are enforced.  Keep workers out of the direct traffic lane when possible, and ensure they are alert and attentive to all moving vehicles including construction equipment.
4. Lastly, use personal protective equipment (PPE) such as retro-reflective clothing, hard hats, and safety toed boots.    

Flaggers must be effectively trained, certified, and supervised in order to prevent improper traffic flagging techniques.  These can be caused by inadequate training, a low willingness to follow training objectives, or failure to properly supervise.  Following the guidelines provided by the US Department of Transportation’s publication “Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices” (MUTCD Part 6) is critical for proper work zone setup.   Check out this resource here:  MUTCD

OSHA provides a “Quick Card” for Work Zone Traffic Safety that can found online -  Work Zone OSHA Quick Card.   Finally, the Center for Disease Control is a great resource for additional training documents and information regarding highway work zone safety.  Check their website at CDC Highway Work Zones.

Know about the "No Zone"

 Posted by Randy Klatt

Sharing the roads with large trucks is a real safety concern for those driving passenger cars.  But one important point to remember is that a large tractor trailer or snow plow creates “blind spots” that limit the truck driver’s ability to see all areas around the vehicle.  If you drive within these areas the trucker won’t be able to see your car.

This area is easy to locate.  Remember, if you can’t see the trucks mirrors, then the truck driver can’t see you.  Steer clear of these blind spots so that the truck driver won’t pull into your lane.  Driving in the No Zone also limits your visibility to the side or front, so please avoid them.

The diagram below illustrates the No Zones around a snow plow; very applicable this time of year.  Sharing the road with large commercial vehicles is a necessity and can be done safely.  Just be patient and avoid the NO ZONE. 

Check out these two websites for more information:  
http://www.clearroads.org/driversafety_resources.html 
http://www.maine.gov/dps/bhs/about/

Remember:  Ice and Snow, Take it Slow!

Be Ready for Winter Driving

 Posted by Dave Darnley

Since today is the first official day of winter it is time to think about winter driving challenges and the condition of our vehicles. 

Check your vehicle to make sure your tires are in good condition and properly inflated (and never mix radial tires with other tire types).  The legal minimum tread depth is only about 1/3 of what is really needed for proper performance on snow.  Your defroster system and windshield wipers will see extra duty so be sure they are in good working order.  Keep a snow brush and ice scraper handy along with an extra gallon of windshield washer fluid. Include an emergency kit with first aid supplies, flashlight, blanket, and reflective triangles.  

If driving in mountainous regions the best advice is to stay off the roads; however, if travel is required you may also want to carry tire chains (check local laws first), sand, and a shovel. If driving in remote areas or on divided highways with limited exits, you should consider carrying a sleeping bag, boots and warm clothing.

Lastly, drive with extra caution when weather and driving conditions change, and use your seat belt every time you get in to your vehicle.  Check out the following links for more information concerning winter driving.

Clear Roads Winter Driving Campaign

Maine Department of Labor's Winter Driving Tips

Hang Up and Drive

 _{^{Posted by Randy Klatt}}

On Tuesday December 13, 2011, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended a nationwide ban on all portable electronic devices (PED’s) for all motorists.  The NTSB came to its recommendation after investigating a multi-vehicle crash in Gray Summit, MO that involved a driver who was texting. The crash, which occurred on Aug. 5, 2010, killed two people and injured 38 including children in two school buses.  The National Safety Council (NSC) made this recommendation many months ago and was quick to endorse this NTSB vote.

It is clear that drivers are frequently distracted by electronic devices.  Naturally this creates a safety concern not just for the distracted driver, but for everyone else on the road, in cross walks, and in construction work zones.  The NSC estimates 1.3 million crashes, or 23 percent of all crashes, involve distracted drivers using cell phones. “Quantifying crashes and fatalities involving cell phone use while driving is challenging due to several factors such as a driver’s unwillingness to admit the behavior and lack of witnesses. Additionally, cell phone use currently is not consistently captured on police reports. We are able to develop an estimate of crashes based on risk and exposure, but the problem could be much larger than we estimate,” says Janet Froetscher, NSC President and CEO. 

The links below offer the latest information concerning this topic.  If your employees drive as part of their work routine, then it is time to review your fleet plan and consider eliminating this risk.   

National Safety Council

National Transportation Safety Board Fact Sheet

Cellphone Driving Ban: Good Idea?

Fatigue: A Sleeping Giant Behind the Wheel

 
Posted by Randy Klatt

The next time you get behind the wheel, be it for work or pleasure, take a moment to consider how tired you feel and if you are really in the proper condition to operate a motor vehicle.  This may sound like common sense, but all too often people operate under the influence—the influence of fatigue.  Transportation accounts for the most workplace fatalities every year and more than 40,000 people die each year in the U.S. in traffic accidents.  We take driving for granted, but it really is serious business. 

Less than half of adults in America say they get a good night’s sleep every night. So it should be no surprise that up to 40% of all serious accidents are caused by driver fatigue. There are plenty of hazards on the roadways today that we can't control but driving while fatigued is one we can.

A vehicle traveling at 65 miles-per-hour covers nearly 100 feet-per-second.  Imagine how devastating even a few seconds of inattention could be.  You owe it to yourself and to the rest of the traveling public to be at your best when driving.  Get plenty of sleep, avoid driving after very long work days, stay hydrated and take frequent breaks on long trips.  Fatigue can make even the best driver a very dangerous one.

There are many resources available to help you, your employees and your family members drive safely and control the effects of fatigue.  Check out these listed below:

• Driver Fatigue: The Dangers of Driving Sleepy
• Drivers.com: Fatigue
• DrowsyDriving.org

Winter is here! Are your drivers prepared for breakdowns?

 Posted by Peter Koch

The first major snow storm this year in the mid-Atlantic area rang in 57,000 calls from stranded AAA customers. In cold, wintry weather, even a minor car problem like a flat tire can be deadly serious, or at least miserable to deal with, unless you're prepared. Save your driving crew time and headache by getting vehicles winter-ready in the event of a breakdown.

 

All fleet vehicles should be equipped with a car-emergency kit year-round, but in winter, cold-weather gear should be added. 

 

A typical winter emergency kit:

• Jumper cables
• High visibility vest (class II or III)
• Traction enhancers for shoes
• Warning triangle
• Cat litter or sand
• Shovel
• Ice scraper
• Warm clothes like gloves and a hat
• Blankets
• Flashlights and extra batteries
• First aid kit—also pack prescribed medications
• Cell phone with a list of emergency numbers

More resources on winterizing vehicles:

• Prepare your car for winter weather

• Winterize your car