Keep Trucking Safe September 2020 Newsletter

Teaming Up Keeps COVID-19 Down

Social distancing is the best way to avoid COVID-19, but it’s a challenge for truck drivers. Truck drivers can’t work from home and being on the road requires them to stop at public places. It is even harder for team drivers or when traveling with a passenger—there is no way to stay 6 feet apart inside a truck cab. Management, drivers, and passengers should have a disease prevention plan for when social distancing is not possible. The following tips can help lower infection risks for drivers and passengers riding together.

Rescheduled International Roadcheck is September 9-11

Postponed since March by COVID-19, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) will hold its 33^rd annual International Roadcheck inspection blitz from September 9-11. This year’s focus will be on driver operating requirements. U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data shows that of approximately 3.36 million roadside inspections in 2019, 952,938 driver violations were found, including 199,722 out-of-service conditions. In past years the event focused on steering and suspension, hours-of-service, hazardous materials/dangerous goods, cargo securement, and tire safety.

Fleet Maintenance Tips

Truck drivers risk serious injury when they work on or around trucks parked too closely to traffic. Parking your truck a safe distance away helps prevent injury to you and damage to your rig. A 32-year-old truck driver learned this the hard way when he fell from his trailer after it was hit by another truck.

The driver parked his truck near an area that other trucks passed through often. He got out of the cab and climbed about five feet up on the trailer to adjust some equipment. As the driver worked, the sound of nearby vehicles faded from his attention. Another truck suddenly struck the driver’s trailer, sending him falling to the ground. As the driver fell, he hit his back against a metal cargo bin before landing hard on his left side. Feeling instant pain shooting through his head, back, and neck, the driver needed immediate hospital care.

Are You Ready? September is National Preparedness Month

News headlines remind us every day about wildfires, tornados, hurricanes, power outages, and other disasters. Preparation is key to getting through such events, especially now as COVID-19 makes responding to emergencies much harder. National Preparedness Month promotes disaster planning to help people prepare and stay ready for emergencies in their homes, businesses, schools, and communities. Each week features a different focus:

• Week 1 September 1-5: Make A Plan
• Week 2 September 6-12: Build A Kit
• Week 3 September 13-19: Prepare for Disasters
• Week 4 September 20-26: Teach Youth About Preparedness

National Preparedness Month began in 2004 as a sponsored program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week 2020 is September 13-19.

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is a time to pause and reflect on the importance of truck drivers in keeping the country moving. Our everyday lives depend on them, especially their crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemic. Truck drivers transport food, clothing, electronics, medical supplies, construction materials, and just about everything else that we need. Without truck drivers, our world would come to a grinding halt. A truck driver is someone who performs a job that requires commitment, professionalism, safety awareness, and plenty of sacrifice that includes working long periods away from home and family. So next time you see a truck driver, say thank you.

The 2020 Governor’s Industrial Safety & Health Conference Will Be Online September 21-25

The 69^th Annual Governor’s Industrial Safety & Health Conference will take place online September 21-25, due to COVID-19. The conference offers training and education on the latest tools, technologies, and strategies to improve workplace safety and health. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries and the Governor’s Industrial Safety and Health Advisory Board (GISHAB) sponsor the conference.