OTA Dispatch Issue 3 2019

SAFETY 36 Oregon Trucking Associations, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch Roadside Safety Questions Carriers Need to Ask By Adam Williamson, OTA’s Director of Training & Development W hile driving down a busy interstate recently, I noticed a passenger vehicle parked on the side of the road. The driver was outside inspecting under the vehicle. His prone body was on the highway side nearly the touching the white line. I felt an involuntary shudder as thoughts filtered through my mind: “Doesn’t he know how dangerous that is? What is so urgent about his situation that he would be willing to risk his life like that?” The image stuck with me. In the trucking industry, driver safety talks and training are often dominated by discussion of driving practices. This focus is understandable as drivers spend most of their time actively driving. Safety does not end with a vehicle pulled over to the side of the road though. In fact, roadside conditions often place drivers in a very vulnerable situation. This is not the time to forget about safety. There are several questions that carriers need to ask when it comes to roadside safety and their drivers. Have your drivers been trained in roadside safety practices? Training for the “what if ” situations is just as important as training for the daily routine. Trucks can break down and drivers can run into a variety of non- mechanical related problems that sideline their trip. In cases where they are unable to reach a designated stopping area, they might find stopping on the side of the road to be unavoidable. Now what? What are the procedures? Good safety training should cover certain key areas: roadside parking, exiting and entering the vehicle, traffic awareness, vehicle securement, proper use of emergency equipment, communication with dispatch or law enforcement, etc. Carriers should also have a policy regarding repair work being done roadside and to what—if any— degree the driver is permitted to work on vehicle repairs. In all scenarios, safety must be the priority. Do your drivers have all the safety equipment they need for emergency roadside conditions? Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations Part 393.95 require all power units of commercial motor vehicles to be equipped with the following emergency items: fire extinguishers, spare fuses, and warning devices for stopped vehicles (each of these equipment pieces must meet FMCSA criteria as specified under the rule). Best practices recommend that drivers have high visibility vests, flashlights and any other relevant tools that can come in handy during a break down. Appropriate size wheel chocks are needed for securing the vehicle, especially if any repair work will need to be done on site. Drivers should have access to the full range of emergency equipment that could be needed at a roadside stop in their environment. Do your drivers have a reliable roadside assistance support system? When things go wrong, the carrier has a responsibility to ensure there are services available to assist a roadside driver as soon as possible. A pre-determined protocol should be in place so that drivers know their options. Company dispatch should also be involved in coordinating assistance and following up with drivers if there are further complications. Planning for such events is necessary to prevent drivers from being stranded for long periods of time without support or communication about when help will arrive. Drivers face a multitude of hazards on the road and sometimes off the road as well. Let’s make a commitment to supporting our drivers in the situations where they are the most vulnerable.