Each week, we share a safety tip in our weekly newsletter. You can find our safety tips from our newsletters below! If you’d like to sign up to be on our email list and receive our weekly newsletters, go to groundcloud.com/newslettersignup and fill out the form. 

Safety Tip 9/7/22

Back to school: When do you NOT need to stop for a stopped school bus?

• Some states (i.e. Ohio) have a law that states the following: if traveling in the opposite direction on a road with 4 or more lanes, you may continue driving normally.
• This can be safer for the children, because it forces the school bus to drop the children off on the same side of the road where they need to exit the bus

Professional Drivers will: 

• know the law, but BE AWARE that the public may not know the law. This may cause for those who do not know the law to slam on their brakes, rather than driving normally.
  
• be aware of the potential actions of other drivers.

Safety Tip 8/31/22

Back to school: When do you need to stop for a stopped school bus?

• All states have a law that requires vehicles behind the school bus, traveling the same direction, to stop 

• This allows a level of protection needed for children who can be unpredictable

Professional Drivers will: 

• understand to never pass a stopped school bus while traveling behind it
• be aware of the potential dangers that unpredictable children pose when entering or exiting the bus

Safety Tip 8/24/22

With the beginning of the school year upon us, here are some hazards during this time of year:

• Kids, kids, kids!….walking, running, or riding their bikes to and from school.
• Big, slow, frequently stopping school buses
• Parents rushing to drop their kids off before going to work
• School zones active in the morning and afternoon

Professional Drivers will: 

• be aware of children on or around the roadway
• observe the law regarding stopped school buses and give plenty of room around them
• observe the school zone speed limits
• be aware of the potential actions of other drivers

Safety Tip 8/17/22

School Bus Awareness

With the start of the school year, it’s important to be aware of children walking or running to their school bus. Watch this video to learn the best safety practices around school buses to keep children safe. Beware of school zones in the mornings and afternoons!

Safety Tip 8/10/22

Backing

Backing is the most common accident in final mile logistics. Here’s a tip to help reduce your chances of a backing accident: While parking your commercial motor vehicle, always plan a way out for your vehicle before exiting the driver’s seat.

Safety Tip 8/3/22

Safety Culture & DOT Audits

Safety is everyone’s responsibility and it is important for safety to remain a top priority within every organization. A safety culture is developed by Upper Management and delivered as a daily, weekly, and/or monthly training. The more the employees are engaged in daily, weekly and/or monthly safety messaging, the more the company’s safety culture will grow.

As a motor carrier, safety is graded and watched by the DOT (Department of Transportation). The DOT will perform audits on a motor carrier’s corporate office, managers, and drivers. 

These audits can consist of:

• Pulling over drivers for random inspection of the driver and vehicle. For drivers who fail their inspection, the driver and/or vehicle can be placed out-of-service.
• Requesting required DOT documentation on drivers be provided
• Visiting the motor carrier’s corporate office for a full DOT audit. If the corporate office fails the audit, the motor carrier can be shut down.
  
  The DOT performs these audits to ensure the motoring public are safe as the motor carrier’s trucks travel the roadways delivering cargo.

Safety Tip 7/27/22

Safety & Risk

Safety can be defined as: the condition of being protected from or unlikely to cause danger, risk, or injury.

Risk can be defined as: a situation involving exposure to danger.

• Safety is the proactive way to avoid Risk. It teaches how to avoid risky situations that can lead to possible injury.
• Safety not only protects the individual at risk, but it also protects those surrounding that person to help ensure everyone is injury free.
• Safety also provides higher profit margins as accidents and injuries can be costly and usually come off the bottom line.

Safety Tip 7/20/22

Requirements for Lamps other than Head Lamps

Over the next few weeks, we will cover all of the requirements for lamps other than head lamps. Here’s the fourth one.

Stop lamp operation — The stop lamps on each vehicle shall be activated upon application of the service brakes. The stop lamps are not required to be activated when the emergency feature of the trailer brakes is used or when the stop lamp is optically combined with the turn signal and the turn signal is in use.

Safety Tip 7/13/22

Requirements for Lamps other than Head Lamps

Over the next few weeks, we will cover all of the requirements for lamps other than head lamps. Here’s the third one. 

Lamps to be steady-burning— All exterior lamps shall be steady-burning with the exception of turn signal lamps; hazard warning signal lamps. Lamps combined into the same shell or housing with a turn signal are not required to be steady burning while the turn signal is in use.

Safety Tip 7/6/22

Requirements for Lamps other than Head Lamps

Over the next few weeks, we will cover all of the requirements for lamps other than head lamps. Here’s the second one. 

Visibility— Each lamp shall be located so that it meets the visibility requirements specified by FMVSS No. 108 in effect at the time of manufacture of the vehicle.

If motor vehicle equipment (e.g., mirrors and winches) prevents compliance with this paragraph by any required lamp, an auxiliary lamp or device meeting the requirements of this paragraph shall be provided.

This shall not be construed to apply to lamps on one unit which are obscured by another unit of a combination of vehicles.

Safety Tip 6/29/22

Requirements for Lamps other than Head Lamps

Over the next few weeks, we will cover all of the requirements for lamps other than head lamps. Here’s the first one. 

Mounting— All lamps shall be securely mounted on a rigid part of the vehicle. Temporary lamps must be securely mounted to the load and are not required to be mounted to a permanent part of the vehicle.

Safety Tip 6/22/22

Battery Installation

• Every storage battery on every vehicle, unless located in the engine compartment, shall be covered by a fixed part of the motor vehicle or protected by a removable cover or enclosure.
• Removable covers or enclosures shall be substantial and shall be securely latched or fastened.
• The storage battery compartment and adjacent metal parts which might corrode by reason of battery leakage shall be painted or coated with an acid-resisting paint or coating and shall have openings to provide ample battery ventilation and drainage.
• Wherever the cable to the starting motor passes through a metal compartment, the cable shall be protected against grounding by an acid and waterproof insulating bushing.
• Wherever a battery and a fuel tank are both placed under the driver’s seat, they shall be partitioned from each other, and each compartment shall be provided with an independent cover, ventilation, and drainage.

Safety Tip 6/15/22

Required Brake Systems

Each commercial motor vehicle must have brakes adequate to stop and hold the vehicle. Each commercial motor vehicle must meet the applicable service, parking, and emergency brake system requirements provided in this section. Over the next few weeks, we will cover all of the required brake systems. Here’s the third one. 

Parking brakes—

Each commercial motor vehicle must be equipped with a parking brake system that meets the applicable requirements of §393.41.

The parking brake must be able to be strong enough to hold the vehicle up to it’s GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)

The professional driver can test this during the Pre-Trip Inspection by:

• Applying the parking brake
• Turning on the engine
• Placing their foot on the brake pedal
• Placing the vehicle in Drive
• Slowly releasing the brake pedal
  

If the vehicle doesn’t move, then the parking brake is working correctly.
If the vehicle moves, then the parking brake needs to be adjusted or replaced.
If the brake cannot be adjusted, then the vehicle should not be driven.

 Safety Tip 6/8/22

Required Brake Systems

Each commercial motor vehicle must have brakes adequate to stop and hold the vehicle. Each commercial motor vehicle must meet the applicable service, parking, and emergency brake system requirements provided in this section. Over the next few weeks, we will cover all of the required brake systems. Here’s the third one. 

Electric brake systems—

This is usually used in commercial motor vehicles with a GVWR under 26,001 lbs.  This system supplies a small electric motor to assist in applying the brakes. (during a Pre-Trip, try pressing on the brake pedal without the engine turned on and if you have this type of system, you will hear a small electric motor turn on while pressing the pedal)

 Safety Tip 6/1/22

Required Brake Systems

Each commercial motor vehicle must have brakes adequate to stop and hold the vehicle. Each commercial motor vehicle must meet the applicable service, parking, and emergency brake system requirements provided in this section. Over the next few weeks, we will cover all of the required brake systems. Here’s the second one. 

Air brake systems—

This is the most common braking system in commercial motor vehicles with a GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) over 26,000 lbs.  This system provides the best system to stop these heavier commercial motor vehicles.

 Safety Tip 5/25/22

Required Brake Systems

Each commercial motor vehicle must have brakes adequate to stop and hold the vehicle. Each commercial motor vehicle must meet the applicable service, parking, and emergency brake system requirements provided in this section. Over the next few weeks, we will cover all of the required brake systems. Here’s the first one. 

Service brakes—

Hydraulic brake systems. This is the most common braking system in commercial motor vehicles with a GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) under 26,001 lbs. This system is the most reliable and provides the best system to stop these types of commercial motor vehicles.

 Safety Tip 5/20/22

49 Code of Federal Regulation 393.30 (Battery Installation):

• Every storage battery on every vehicle, unless located in the engine compartment, shall be covered by a fixed part of the motor vehicle or protected by a removable cover or enclosure.
• Removable covers or enclosures shall be substantial and shall be securely latched or fastened.
• The storage battery compartment and adjacent metal parts which might corrode by reason of battery leakage shall be painted or coated with an acid-resisting paint or coating and shall have openings to provide ample battery ventilation and drainage.
• Wherever the cable to the starting motor passes through a metal compartment, the cable shall be protected against grounding by an acid and waterproof insulating bushing.
• Wherever a battery and a fuel tank are both placed under the driver’s seat, they shall be partitioned from each other, and each compartment shall be provided with an independent cover, ventilation, and drainage.

 Safety Tip 5/13/22

What you should do if you suspect a problem with Substance Abuse:

What do you do if you suspect someone else with a problem with Substance Abuse?

• Contact a supervisor

What to do if you have a problem?

• Contact a supervisor

There is a Zero Tolerance Policy for the following:

• Positive Test
• Failure to submit

Safety Tip 5/6/22

Pre-Duty Alcohol Consumption:

• No driver shall perform safety-sensitive functions within four hours after using alcohol.

• No employer having actual knowledge that a driver has used alcohol within four hours shall permit a driver to perform or continue to perform safety-sensitive functions.

Safety Tip 4/29/22

Blood Alcohol Content (BAC):

• Three standard drinks will produce, on average, a Blood Alcohol Concentration of about 0.06.*

• When you reach a BAC of 0.06, the negative effects of alcohol start to show. 

• Judgment will be impaired, often affecting people’s ability to make rational decisions, particularly around risk taking activities such as driving and continuing to drink.

• Perception, learning, memory, coordination, sexual arousal, alertness and self-control will also be impaired.

* This is just an average. Each person produces a different BAC based on various factors.

Safety Tip 4/22/22

Warning Signs of Alcoholism:

• Lying about or hiding your drinking

• Drinking to relax or feel better

• “Blacking out” regularly

• Being unable to stop once you start

• Drinking in dangerous situations

• Neglecting your responsibilities

• Having trouble in your relationships

• Being able to drink more than you used to

• Experiencing withdrawal

• Trying to quit but being unable to

Safety Tip 4/15/22

Rules for Driver Use of Controlled Substances:

• No driver shall report for duty or remain on duty requiring the performance of safety-sensitive functions when the driver uses any controlled substance, except when the use is pursuant to the instructions of a licensed medical practitioner, as defined in §382.107, who has advised the driver that the substance will not adversely affect the driver’s ability to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle.
• No employer having actual knowledge that a driver has used a controlled substance shall permit the driver to perform or continue to perform a safety-sensitive function.
• Employer may require a driver to inform them of any therapeutic drug use.

Safety Tip 4/8/22

Four events that may require drug testing:

• Initial Pre-Hire
• Post-Accident – DOT Recordable
• Random
• Probable Cause

Types of substances tested during drug testing:

• Marijuana – THC
• Cocaine – Crack
• Opiates – Heroine
• Amphetamines- Speed, Meta-Amphetamines
• PCP – Angel Dust
• NEW MDMA, XTC or Ecstasy 

Safety Tip 4/1/22

Over the past few weeks, we have been discussing the DOT Drug and Alcohol Program. Today, we will discuss the details of drug testing.

What type of test can be given?

• Urine
• Hair
• Breath
• Saliva
• Blood

How long do you have to get to clinic once you are notified?

You must report to the clinic immediately.

How long do you have at the clinic before it is considered a refusal to test?

You have a maximum of 3 hours to test before it is considered a refusal to test.

Four reasons to get tested:

• Pre-Employment
• DOT Post-Accident
• Random
• Reasonable Suspicion