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IFTA changes final for ELD/GPS electronic records

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Systems using ELDs and GPS must comply beginning January 1, 2024

The International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) has finalized changes to requirements for electronic records to tightly define what data elements are required and what formats are acceptable.

For distance records produced by a vehicle tracking system that utilizes latitudes and longitudes (ELDs and GPS), a record must be created and maintained at a minimum every 10 minutes when the vehicle’s engine is on. This action is even more stringent than recent changes for electronic records under the International Registration Plan (IRP), which require a minimum record creation rate of every 15 minutes while the engine is on.

Mirroring changes under IRP, electronic records under IFTA must be accessible in an electronic spreadsheet format such as XLS, XLSX, CSV, or delimited text file. Formats from a vehicle tracking system that provides a static image such as PDF, JPEG, PNG, or Word are not acceptable.

The effective date for the changes – January 1, 2024 – also aligns with changes recently finalized by IRP.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Original article published by J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

FACE Report: Construction worker struck by rollaway dump truck

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
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FACE photo: NIOSH

Case report: 71-246-2023
Issued by: Washington State Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program
Date of report: Oct. 23, 2023

A 45-year-old construction worker employed by a custom home builder arrived at a site to finish punch list items for a new home. The worker was pressure-washing the home’s driveway when a worker from a landscaping business arrived and parked a medium-duty dump truck at the top of the driveway. The truck was loaded with pallets of small pavers, stepping-stones and crushed rock. The top of the driveway had a slight, hardly visible slope. The driver told the worker he was going to talk with the homeowner to ask where to put the materials. He left the truck unattended. The worker continued to pressure-wash the driveway. About six minutes later, the dump truck rolled down the driveway and struck the worker, whose back was toward the truck. No one saw the incident, but the driver, homeowner and project manager heard the truck crash. After they saw the truck in a nearby ditch, they went to the front of the house and found the worker face down on the driveway. First responders pronounced him dead at the scene. Investigators found that the dump truck was parked in first gear; the emergency brake was set but did not work; and the truck was being leased from another landscaping business owner, who did not have the required annual Department of Transportation commercial motor vehicle inspection done on the truck and knew the emergency brake did not work.

To help prevent similar occurrences, employers should:

  • Request subcontractors to show current maintenance and safety inspection records, including annual DOT inspection stickers, for any commercial vehicles they own or lease that will be used on the construction site. Do not allow unsafe vehicles to drive onsite.
  • Advise site owners to ask other contractors they hire directly to show safety inspection records for any commercial vehicles before they drive onsite. Emphasize the need to prevent hazardous vehicle rollaways.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication

Stay warm when working in the cold

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
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Photo: SeventyFour/iStockphoto

Working outdoors already involves many hazards. Add cold temperatures during the winter months, and the number of risks grows.

Cold stress injuries and illnesses can occur when a person’s skin temperature (and, eventually, their internal body temperature) falls and their body can no longer maintain a normal temperature. This can lead to hypothermia, frostbite, disorientation, lack of consciousness, and even coma or death for workers who spend time outdoors.

OSHA says to follow these best practices to stay safe in cold weather:

  • Know the symptoms of cold stress: reddening skin, tingling, pain, swelling, leg cramps, numbness and blisters.
  • Wear at least three layers of loose-fitting clothing as well as insulated gloves and boots, and cover your head.
  • Be aware of your physical condition as you work, and that of your co-workers.
  • Stay dry.
  • Pack extra clothes, as moisture can increase heat loss from the body.
  • Take breaks in warm, dry areas.
  • Drink warm liquids.

OSHA’s Winter Weather webpage – osha.gov/winter-weather – has more safety tips.

McCraren Compliance offers a full range of safety and health training and consulting services. Plus we can help you incorporate well-being into your traditional systems in order to support the Total Worker Health of your workforce.

Call 888-758-4757, email info@mccrarencompliance.com or visit our website www.mccrarencompliance.com

Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication

Deliver safety, not injuries

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
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Photo: Fly View Productions/iStockphoto

With the holiday season upon us, delivery drivers are likely to see an increase in work. Now is a good time to review safety measures these workers can take to avoid on-the-job injuries.

The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries Division of Occupational Safety and Health offers these tips:

  • Park your vehicle on level ground when possible.
  • Don’t jump or climb in or out of your vehicle while holding packages.
  • Make sure your shoes have good traction.
  • Use a headlamp or flashlight if you’re delivering packages in the dark.
  • Be aware of your surroundings when walking to and from the delivery location.
  • Make two trips or use a hand truck if items are heavy or you have to carry multiple boxes.
  • Don’t carry packages in a way that blocks your view.

McCraren Compliance offers a full range of safety and health training and consulting services. Plus we can help you incorporate well-being into your traditional systems in order to support the Total Worker Health of your workforce.

Call 888-758-4757, email info@mccrarencompliance.com or visit our website www.mccrarencompliance.com

Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication

Coupling devices for excavator buckets: NIOSH publishes fact sheet

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
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Photo: Dzmitry Kaprusynka/iStockphoto

Washington — A new fact sheet from NIOSH is aimed at workers who use quick coupling devices to change excavator buckets and other attachments.

Quick couplers are common in construction work. However, buckets or attachments may unintentionally fall from excavators because of improper securement of the bucket or attachment, mechanical or hydraulic failure in the coupler, or unsafe opening of the coupler by the operator, NIOSH says.

Among the agency’s tips:

  • Use quick couplers manufactured with design features and processes to prevent the unintentional release of buckets or attachments, such as models with alerting systems to signal whether the connection was successful.
  • Follow manufacturer’s guidelines for equipment when planning job tasks. For example, many manufacturers state that ground workers shouldn’t be within the swing radius/swing zone of an excavator arm.
  • Ensure machine operators always conduct visual inspections on the excavator and quick coupler before starting work. Remove from service any excavator with functional issues and tag it with a “Do not operate” sign.
  • Establish communication methods between the excavator operator and ground workers before starting work.
  • Make sure operators lower the excavator arm to the ground before exiting the cab.

NIOSH encourages employers, supervisors and equipment suppliers to “share and apply these recommended practices at the worksite.”

McCraren Compliance offers a full range of safety and health training and consulting services. Plus we can help you incorporate well-being into your traditional systems in order to support the Total Worker Health of your workforce.

Call 888-758-4757, email info@mccrarencompliance.com or visit our website www.mccrarencompliance.com

Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication

CPWR publishes tip sheets on preventing roofer falls

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
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Photo: CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training

Silver Spring, MD — Two new resources from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training are intended to help prevent falls among roofing workers.

In “Roofing Safety for Construction Workers,” available in English and Spanish, CPWR cites Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing that 1 out of 10 fatal slips, trips and falls involve roofers – 3 out of 5 of whom are Hispanic.

The organization calls on employers to:

  • Eliminate or minimize fall hazards during job planning, when possible.
  • Provide workers with proper tools and safety equipment to safely complete tasks.
  • Train workers on inspection and use of safety equipment in a language they understand.
  • Enforce safety regulations.
  • Regularly review work practices that help prevent falls.

An additional CPWR fact sheet – Roof Safety: Weather to Work? – provides guidance on working safely in inclement weather. Tips include:

  • Ensure workers are trained on fall protection and wearing proper personal protective equipment.
  • Monitor weather conditions before work and throughout the day.
  • Inspect the roof for icy, wet or slippery conditions before work starts.
  • Have a plan to provide workers with cover from lightning.
  • Find a stable, nonslippery surface to set up and secure a ladder.

A Spanish version of the weather-related resource is in development, CPWR says.

McCraren Compliance offers a full range of safety and health training and consulting services. Plus we can help you incorporate well-being into your traditional systems in order to support the Total Worker Health of your workforce.

Call 888-758-4757, email info@mccrarencompliance.com or visit our website www.mccrarencompliance.com

Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication

CVSA Announces Dates for 2024 Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has set the dates for next year’s Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative (HTAI) for each of its three member countries. In the U.S., the initiative is scheduled for Jan. 8-12, 2024. Canada’s HTAI dates are Feb. 19-23, 2024. And in Mexico, HTAI is set for March 11-15, 2024.

CVSA’s annual five-day human trafficking awareness, outreach, identification and prevention initiative aims to educate commercial motor vehicle drivers, motor carriers, law enforcement officers and the general public about the crime of human trafficking, the signs to look for and what to do if you suspect someone is being trafficked.

According to the , human trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of people through force, fraud or deception with the aim of exploiting them for profit. Men, women and children of all ages and from all backgrounds can become victims of this crime, which occurs in every region of the world, including North America. Human traffickers often use violence, fraudulent employment agencies, and fake promises of education and job opportunities to trick and coerce their victims.

In preparation for the 2024 Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative, CVSA is offering human trafficking awareness  to its membership and working with Truckers Against Trafficking to distribute wallet cards, posters and window decals. Fill out our  to order complimentary outreach materials.

During the five-day awareness initiative in each country, CVSA jurisdictions will note human trafficking awareness and outreach efforts and projects and submit that data to the Alliance. The results will be released in summer 2024.

To find out what your jurisdiction is doing to increase human trafficking awareness,  the agency/department responsible for overseeing commercial motor vehicle safety within your state, province or territory.

The Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative is part of CVSA’s . The program seeks to reduce human trafficking throughout North America through coordinated enforcement and investigative and educational awareness measures within the commercial motor vehicle industry.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Original article published by CVSA

New hazard alert on workplace violence

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
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Photo: tillsonburg/iStockphoto

Portland, OR — In light of the 29 workplace homicides that have occurred in the state since 2018, the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences has issued a hazard alert.

“Most of these cases occurred in places where money is exchanged, in isolated worksites with few employees or at night with low visibility,” the alert states. OIOHS cites data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showing that nearly 1,800 workplace homicides occurred nationwide between 2018 and 2021.

Safety tips for employers:

  • Assess potential risks at the worksite and develop site-specific policies for violence prevention.
  • Develop and practice emergency procedures, such as drills or triggering an alarm system.
  • Increase staffing or security at worksites with a history of robbery or violence.
  • Provide de-escalation training and instruct employees to promptly report potentially violent behaviors.
  • Ensure supervisors investigate all threats, acts of violence and disruptive behaviors in a timely manner.
  • Text 911 instead of calling (in areas where text service is available) to contact emergency services quietly.

The alert details three separate fatal workplace incidents that involved a store manager, an agricultural worker and a farmer.

McCraren Compliance offers a full range of safety and health training and consulting services. Plus we can help you incorporate well-being into your traditional systems in order to support the Total Worker Health of your workforce.

Call 888-758-4757, email info@mccrarencompliance.com or visit our website www.mccrarencompliance.com

Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication

Journal spotlights NIOSH’s work on occupational hearing loss prevention

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
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Photo: YasnaTen/iStockphoto

Washington — A special issue of the journal Seminars in Hearing “shines a light” on NIOSH’s efforts to prevent on-the-job hearing loss.

“This special issue recognizes the dedication of NIOSH researchers to prevent a debilitating work-related illness that impacts millions of workers,” NIOSH Director John Howard said in a press release. “It is our hope it will inspire others to join efforts to protect workers’ hearing.”

The agency estimates that 22 million workers face exposure to hazardous noise each year, and around 10 million are exposed to solvents that contribute to hearing loss.

Inside the issue:

Each of the seven articles is free to download.

McCraren Compliance offers a full range of safety and health training and consulting services. Plus we can help you incorporate well-being into your traditional systems in order to support the Total Worker Health of your workforce.

Call 888-758-4757, email info@mccrarencompliance.com or visit our website www.mccrarencompliance.com

Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication

Guy wires and power lines can be a deadly mix, OSHA warns

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
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Photo: OSHA

Washington — Spurred by a number of deaths in which a guy wire being worked on contacted an energized high-voltage power line, OSHA has issued a hazard alert.

In some of the cases, OSHA says its investigations revealed that the guy wires “weren’t grounded and had insulators positioned incorrectly.”

Guy wires are installed on poles for support. According to the agency, workers on the ground can be exposed to electrical hazards when:

  • Installing a new guy wire on a pole with energized lines.
  • Adjusting the tension to remove slack from a guy wire.
  • Replacing a guy wire after an incident or natural disaster.

“To protect employees, guy wires must be either effectively grounded or have properly positioned insulators to block the flow of electric current,” OSHA says.

The alert features illustrations on proper and improper positioning of insulation on guy wires.

“OSHA recommends employers follow relevant guidelines in consensus standards, such as the National Electrical Safety Code (IEEE, NESC-C2), which recommends ungrounded guy wires have insulators installed to prevent electric current from traveling down the guy wire to below 8 feet above the ground level,” the alert states.

McCraren Compliance offers a full range of safety and health training and consulting services. Plus we can help you incorporate well-being into your traditional systems in order to support the Total Worker Health of your workforce.

Call 888-758-4757, email info@mccrarencompliance.com or visit our website www.mccrarencompliance.com

Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication