Tag Archives: alert

General Safety Issues

BOOSTING TRUCK DRIVER SAFETY PERFORMANCE (GUEST POST)

Most companies in every industry agree that it’s crucial to have a safe working environment. But assessing safety and maintaining it across the board and over time can be challenging in certain types of businesses.

For instance, freight transportation outfits—the companies that hire truckers to haul food, fuel, livestock and other goods all over the country to ensure that store shelves are stocked and tanks stay full—often have a tough time keeping tabs on the behavior of drivers on the road. Are the trucks running well? Are drivers well-rested and alert? Are routes hazardous or being hit with dangerous weather? A fleet management company must find ways to answer these questions to ensure that drivers are working safely.

Instinctively, you may look at ratings provided by the U.S. Transportation Department, but these don’t seem to accurately reflect a company’s highway safety performance. According to Bloomberg, a Wells Fargo Securities study indicates no correlation between a company’s official safety scores and the number of accidents on its record. The federal scores don’t just rate accidents; they also consider things like paperwork violations. But they don’t factor in wellness considerations such as how much exercise a driver gets or the food choices she makes.

Among the 28 safety management components identified by the Federal Motor Carrier Association are driver’s training, communication between managers and drivers, on-board safety monitoring, fatigue management (hours driven versus break time) and driver health, wellness and lifestyle. These considerations are separate from vehicle maintenance and inspection issues.

Here are a few tips for improving safety in these categories:

Driving Time

Common sense tells you that if someone drives for too many hours without a break, he’s likely to fall asleep at the wheel or at least become drowsy and slow to respond to traffic and road hazards. Unfortunately, traditional paper logs for documenting driving time and breaks make it easy for drivers to make mistakes or even intentionally fudge the records to wedge in more distance and improve performance. But safety suffers in this situation.

To improve the accuracy of driver logs and remove this burden from drivers, consider installing an EOBR (Electronic On-Board Recorder) on each vehicle. This device automatically records drive time; some will even alert drivers to stop when they’ve been on the road for too long. This device can also help spot problems on the road and notify drivers of other problematic issues.

Vehicle Condition

When a vehicle is on the road, managers can’t easily determine how it’s operating and what condition it’s in unless the driver phones in with a problem. But it’s not too hard in most cases to give the truck a checkup when it stops at the warehouse or hub. Make a point of adding a routine check to these stops. Doing the check when products are being loaded or unloaded means this important safety process can get done without incurring extra down time.

Driver Health

Forgetting about the importance of exercise is often easy when you’re sitting in a truck all day. It’s also tempting to stop at fast food places instead of choosing wholesome food. After all, eating in a sit-down restaurant or walking a mile or two takes time, and most drivers want to complete deliveries as fast as possible. But making smart food choices and fitting in daily exercise is a matter of good health and safe driving.

Consider starting an employee education program to remind drivers that bad habits like smoking and overeating can negatively affect their professional performance. You can also encourage healthier behavior to improve safety by offering specific ideas for healthy ways to eat and exercise on the road.

The safety of long-distance truck drivers is ultimately up to more than just the drivers themselves. Trucking companies need to ensure certain health and safety measures are observed throughout all phases of travel. It’s a natural inclination to want to accomplish as much as possible for the least amount of money, but the safety of individual truckers and others on the roadway is too crucial to be relegated to a secondary concern.

Danielle is a student of the Kelley School of Business, majoring in marketing and supply chain management. In her relatively short time dealing with operations and logistics, she’s witnessed far too many accidents and seen the effects of unhealthy driver lifestyles. By raising awareness of the issues that lead to these problems, she hopes to help decrease truck driver safety performance over time.

General Safety Issues

WHAT IS THE REAL MEANING OF “ALERT”

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When I first started thinking about work and fatigue, the word “alert” comes to mind.  When workers become tired, their capacity to be aware of risks and hazards of the job is altered.  Whether it is sleep deprivation, stress, boredom, or doing repetitive tasks, fatigue becomes a factor, and accidents may happen because we were not alert.

Then I began thinking about what “alert” really means.  If it’s a noun, it’s a warning.  the verb means to warn.  How many different alerts do we have in our lives?  Here’s a few:

  • Weather alerts
  • Traffic alerts
  • Amber alerts
  • Fire alerts
  • Emergency alerts
  • Scam alerts

We are told to be prepared.  We must be ready for any emergency that may arise, both at home and in the workplace.  That is what workplace safety managers do: they plan for escapes from the buildings, do practice drills on a regular schedule, and are responsible to see that employees participate in safety plans. 

Work responsibilities mean that we must be alert when we do our jobs.  Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye, and we can’t let our guard down at any time.  If you observe someone who seems to be fatigued or not paying attention, be sure to ask them about it, see  if you can help with a problem they may be experiencing, and “alert” your supervisor.  One good way to get every employees’ attention, is to have colorful posters displayed throughout work areas that convey safety messages.

We have to be alert when we are driving.  Too many wrecks have taken place because someone was not watching what they were doing, or were too busy talking or texting on their cell phone.  You have to be alert to what the other driver is doing – drive defensively.  Another word for alert is “ready.”  You must be ready to prevent an accident at all times. I was driving a group of friends the other day, and couldn’t see a car in the lane to my left, where I was headed, as it was in my blind spot.  My friend in the back seat alerted me, at about the time that I saw the car in the mirror, and we avoided an accident.  It was great that she warned me in time.  We can always use an extra pair of eyes.

Another “alert” we want to issue is to be watchful of scams.  There are so many persons out there that try to scam you either on your computer, or on the phone.  Be constantly vigilant about those who try to steal your good name and assets that you have worked hard for.

We need to be watchful of our children all the time.  With our hectic lifestyles, we sometimes don’t pay as close attention to things they are telling us that we should.  Be attentive (alert) to some problem they may be dealing with that they may have a little trouble sharing with you. 

Be watchful, attentive, vigilant, aware, prepared, ready, and observant.  Those words describe “alert,” which we all should strive to be at work, home, and play.  A good lesson for our children is to teach them the same thing: to stay alert.

General Safety Issues

SAFE CARS FOR EVERYONE!

There are so many technological advances being made by automakers, that someday, everyone will be able to drive safer cars.  After seeing a car that parks itself, it seems that they can almost run on automatic pilot!  Until these safety features become standard in all vehicles, however, we will still have to do the driving.  Consider the following innovations that have been made, such as: 

  • Blind Spot Monitoring.  This is always something that bugs me, because there just seems to be too many ways of not seeing someone in the lane you are trying to enter.  This type of monitoring uses sonar to keep tabs on the blind spots on both sides of the car.  Versions of this technology are already available on some makes of cars.
  • Lane Departure Warning.  It’s too bad all cars don’t already have this technology, as this can be very helpful when a driver becomes drowsy or otherwise distracted.  When the car reaches a certain speed, and wanders across lanes, the certified speed system activates an audible alert.
  • Bird’s Eye View Camera.  There are many backup and parking assist cameras available, but this particular type of system allows you to park safely by allowing you to have a view that virtually lets you seem to look down on the car from above the roof.
  • Smart Keys.  My car has smart keys, and they let me lock or unlock the car from pretty far away, without having to fumble around to find them.  There’s a new “smart” ignition key that allows a parent to program the key for their child.  Parents can set the maximum vehicle speed, activate a persistent seat belt reminder, and set the level for radio volume.  (By the way, this is an American-made car.) It would also be wonderful if it had a Breathalyzer, so the car couldn’t start if Junior had been drinking.  One German automaker has developed the Alco key, requiring the driver to blow into the key before driving the car.  If a Red LED light comes on, the engine will not start.
  • Another feature the same automaker has created is the Collision Warning System, which contains radar technology that performs a wide-angle search to detect objects in front and around your car, such as pedestrians or cyclists.  A red warning light displays on the windscreen.  If there is an increased risk, a panic brake is activated.  If the driver fails to brake and a collision is imminent, the brakes are activated automatically. 

The one thing I would love to see is a system that warns a person if they leave a little passenger in a car seat.  We have had too many innocent children that have lost their lives by being left in a locked car.  If cars can ding when you leave the keys in them, or you don’t have your seat belt fastened, why can’t there be some type of alarm connected to the back seatbelts that secure a car seat, or small child?  Hopefully, car manufacturers are already ahead of me on this, but please, consider this safety feature as a priority.  We have GPS systems, hands-free phone systems, stability control, air bags, and fuel efficient systems that have been developed for our safety, however, many of the new safety features that are now being built into vehicles are available only on the expensive models.  It is hoped that one day, all these sophisticated features are on every car when it leaves the manufacturer. 

And remember, even if you have all the fancy stuff, you still have to be alert behind the wheel.  Please don’t text and drive, don’t drink and drive, and wait on those phone calls until you get safely to your destination. 

 

Source: Cars.com

General Safety Issues

DO YOU KNOW THE SIGNS OF STROKE?

Are you aware that stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and that approximately 137,000 Americans die each year, resulting from stroke?  Cause of stroke is usually either a clot blocking the blood vessels, or bleeding in the brain.  It is important to recognize the signs of stroke and get medical help immediately.  The faster a person can receive medical attention, the greater their chance of recovery.  Because death or serious disabilities can be caused by stroke, here are some important symptoms to watch for:
q Sudden numbness, paralysis, or weakness in face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
q Abrupt vision changes.
q Slurred speech, drooling, or feeling confused.
q A severe headache that feels different from normal headaches and comes on quickly.
If you are with someone whom you suspect may be having a stroke, call for help immediately.  Some signs of stroke may be that the person may not be able to smile, talk, such as speak simple sentences, or raise both arms.  A rule of thumb to remember is S-T-R, which describes things you may ask them to do while waiting for an ambulance.  But a doctor must diagnose and treat the person, and time is of the essence!
There are many factors that contribute to stroke.  Keep these in mind:
à High blood pressure, high cholesterol or triglycerides, diabetes, obesity.  These are conditions that should be monitored often.  Salt intake should be limited.
à Risky behaviors, such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol, or physical inactivity.
à Heredity also plays a role in the risk of stroke.
Because I lost both my parents and three of my grandparents to stroke, I have known that there are things I must do to try to stay healthy.  I love to eat sweets, and I would be fibbing if I told you I always eat healthy.  But I exercise every day, (I still walk my dog Buddy every day, as well as go to the fitness center), watch my blood pressure, and try to avoid stress if possible.
A stroke can be debilitating for an individual and their family, as well.  We are fortunate that physical and occupational rehabilitation can restore patients to their normal functions in some cases.  By paying attention to our bodies and living a healthy lifestyle as much as possible, we all must try to avoid being a victim of stroke.
Source:
Centers for Disease Control
Web M.D.
Are you aware that stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and that approximately 137,000 Americans die each year, resulting from stroke?  Cause of stroke is usually either a clot blocking the blood vessels, or bleeding in the brain.  It is important to recognize the signs of stroke and get medical help immediately.  The faster a person can receive medical attention, the greater their chance of recovery.  Because death or serious disabilities can be caused by stroke, here are some important symptoms to watch for:
  • Sudden numbness, paralysis, or weakness in face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
  • Abrupt vision changes.
  • Slurred speech, drooling, or feeling confused.
  • A severe headache that feels different from normal headaches and comes on quickly.
If you are with someone whom you suspect may be having a stroke, call for help immediately.  Some signs of stroke may be that the person may not be able to smile, talk, such as speak simple sentences, or raise both arms.  A rule of thumb to remember is S-T-R, which describes things you may ask them to do while waiting for an ambulance.  But a doctor must diagnose and treat the person, and time is of the essence!
There are many factors that contribute to stroke.  Keep these in mind:
  • High blood pressure, high cholesterol or triglycerides, diabetes, obesity.  These are conditions that should be monitored often.  Salt intake should be limited.
  • Risky behaviors, such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol, or physical inactivity.
  • Heredity also plays a role in the risk of stroke.
Because I lost both my parents and three of my grandparents to stroke, I have known that there are things I must do to try to stay healthy.  I love to eat sweets, and I would be fibbing if I told you I always eat healthy.  But I exercise every day, (I still walk my dog Buddy every day, as well as go to the fitness center), watch my blood pressure, and try to avoid stress if possible.
A stroke can be debilitating for an individual and their family, as well.  We are fortunate that physical and occupational rehabilitation can restore patients to their normal functions in some cases.  By paying attention to our bodies and living a healthy lifestyle as much as possible, we all must try to avoid being a victim of stroke.
Source:
Centers for Disease Control
Web M.D.