Tag: vehicle

Cost of Trucks to Increase Under New Federal Standards

Posted on by Andria Hine

Agencies Finalize New Fuel Standards for Heavy-Duty Trucks

The cost of new medium- and heavy-duty vehicles are expected to rise as a result of the latest federal fuel efficiency standards for manufacturers. On August 16, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) jointly finalized their Phase 2 fuel efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from new trucks for model years 2018-2027. These standards do not affect existing vehicles.

EPA claims the resultant fuel savings will be significant. The agency estimates the new measures will “save vehicle owners fuel costs of about $170 billion, and reduce oil consumption by up to two billion barrels over the lifetime of the vehicles sold under the program.” Vehicle manufacturers are currently reviewing the final standards and according to some news reports appear “cautiously optimistic” about the provisions, but it remains to be seen whether the actual outcomes will match well with customers’ needs. An estimate of the proposed standards (the final is more stringent) found the sticker price increases could be as high as $10-12,000 for Class 8 trucks.

For more information, visit EPA’s website to read the new standards or contact AGC’s Melinda Tomaino.

Preventing Forklift Accidents

Posted on by admin_ici

There are several types of forklifts that can be used on construction sites. They include stand-up riders for use in narrow aisles, sit-down riders, motorized hand pallet jacks and rough terrain forklift trucks.

About 100 workers are killed each year as a result of forklift accidents. Overturning causes nearly one quarter of these fatalities. Other common forklift accidents include workers being struck by materials on forklifts or by the forklift itself, and workers falling from a forklift.

Unfortunately, those who operate forklifts day in and day out have a tendency to take short cuts and ignore basic safety rules. Their attitude says, “It can’t happen to me.”

Some factors to consider when driving a forklift include:

  • Know the capacity of the forklift you are driving. Make sure it can handle the size and weight of your load.
  • Determine if the load you are carrying has any odd characteristics, and plan ahead on how to handle them. Examples include loads that are top heavy, cylindrical or awkward.
  • Know the condition of the forklift. Are the forks damaged, or is there some other problem that could cause an accident? If so, don’t use the forklift until it’s repaired.
  • Determine the path you will be traveling with the forklift. Be aware of obstacles, bumps, ramps, people, cross aisles and narrow passageways.

When operating a forklift, keep the following safety guidelines in mind:

  • Operate the forklift only if you’ve been trained.
  • Maintain a safe following distance from other forklifts – about three vehicle lengths.
  • Follow speed limits and other regulations.
  • Drive with your load low – six or eight inches off the ground – and tilted slightly back.
  • Exercise extra caution when driving over duckboards and bridge plates, and make sure your load is within their capacity as well.
  • Raise and lower your load only when your forklift is completely stopped.
  • Stop and sound the horn at intersections.
  • Avoid sharp turns.
  • Keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle.
  • Wear a hard hat and other protective equipment when necessary.
  • Be sure your load is stable and secure.
  • When leaving the forklift for any reason or any length of time, lower the forks, neutralize the controls, shut off the engine and set the brakes.

OSHA has two educational documents on forklift safety. The first is “Operating the Forklift: Load Handling,” and the second is “Operating the Forklift: Traveling & Maneuvering.” Both have good information that can help you safely operate your forklift.

Download the recording form here.

News Release: Summer Travel Safety

Posted on by Andria Hine

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, May 25, 2016
CONTACT: Andria Hine, Indiana Constructors, Inc. (317) 634-7547

Construction Group Urges Summer Travel Safety Through Indiana’s Highway Work Zones

As Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and Hoosiers take to the open road for family vacations, Indiana Constructors, Inc. (ICI) urges motorists to stay alert while driving through Indiana highway work zones. Highway workers face danger on the job, and drivers and passengers face an even higher risk of being hurt or killed in work zone crashes.

A new highway work zone study, conducted by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America, shows 39 percent of highway contractors reported motor vehicles crashes in their work zones in 2015. And those crashes had devastating results:

agcsurveygraphic

“Any time your job site is just a few feet away from fast-moving traffic, danger is right there with you,” said ICI President Richard Hedgecock. “An orange cone is no match for a speeding car, and it shouldn’t take a needless fatality to figure that out,” he added.

Indiana Constructors, Inc. is working with the Indiana Department of Transportation and federal transportation officials, as well as the Road Construction Awareness Corporation, to raise work zone safety awareness.

But Hedgecock suggested that the best way to improve safety was for motorists to be more careful while driving through highway work zones. “When you see construction signs and orange barrels, take your foot off the gas, get off the phone and keep your eyes on the road,” he added. “It is not worth putting your life or someone else’s at risk just to save a few seconds on the road.”

AGC of America’s work zone safety study is based on a nationwide survey of highway construction firms conducted in March and April. More than 800 contractors completed the survey. View the complete national and regional survey results here.

###

Indiana Constructors, Inc. is the voice of Indiana’s highway, heavy and utility construction industry. Learn more at www.indianaconstructors.org.

Entry level requirements for CDLs

Posted on by Dan Osborn

The Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA) has proposed a rule  that all drivers seeking a CDL take a comprehensive trainingcourse designed to improve safety and awareness. The training should consist of both “theory” (e.g. traditional classroom instruction) and Behind the Wheel (BTW) training. Following theory instruction, students would begin BTW training. To successfully complete this portion, drivers must spend at least 30 hours BTW. This time would be split between time spent on the “range” and on the road.

“Range” driving would typically be conducted on a closed “driving range” and would focus on the development of basic skills and maneuvers like backing, parking, coupling and uncoupling, and vehicle inspections. A driver would be required to receive a minimum of 10 hours of instruction on the range. Road driving would be conducted in regular traffic and focus on safe driving behavior, interaction with traffic and accident avoidance. FMCSA proposes students receive a minimum of 10 hours of training on the road.

FMCSA has also proposed to establish a National Training Provider Registry. Truck driving schools and other training providers would self-certify that their programs comply with the minimum standards and provide documentation of such. They would also be required to consent to periodic FMCSA audits. Persons interested in obtaining a CDL would be required to choose a certified training provider from the registry. Once training is complete, a certificate would be electronically transmitted to the driver’s State Driver’s Licensing Agency (SDLA). A driver would be unable to schedule a CDL road test unless the SDLA has received the completion certificate.

The FMCSA proposal was the result of a law suit that challenged the current rules FMCSA has in place for CDL entry level training. The court found the existing rules inadequate and directed FMCSA to develop new rules. The American Trucking Association (ATA) was part of the negotiated rulemaking group that worked with FMCSA to develop this regulation.

AGC will submit comments on the rule. Attached is the ATA summary of the rule, including FAQs that do a nice job of explaining the proposal.

 

Struck-By Injuries

Posted on by admin_ici

Falls, electrocutions, struck-by and caught-between accidents account for the greatest number of fatalities in the construction industry. In fact, over 90 percent of all construction fatalities involve one of these four hazards. Thirty-three percent are attributed to falls, 22 percent to struck-by accidents, 18 percent to caught-between accidents and 17 percent to electrical shock. This has led OSHA in recent years to focus on these four hazards, especially when conducting onsite inspections. These hazards are often referred to in the construction industry as the “Focus Four Hazards” or the “Big Four.”

With this Toolbox Talk, we will single out the “struck-by” accidents and the hazards associated with them. It is important to know and understand how these accidents occur and what safeguards need to be in place. On a construction site, the potential is there to be struck from several angles. One of the more common struck-by hazards is being struck or run over by vehicles or equipment, especially those with obstructed rear views.

In order to prevent struck-by incidents involving vehicular traffic and construction equipment, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health recommends:

  • Implementing policies that require workers on foot to maintain a safe clearance from mobile equipment.
  • Requiring equipment operators to operate equipment only when pedestrians are in plain sight.
  • Instructing workers on foot to approach construction equipment only when the operator recognizes their need to approach and assures them that it is okay to approach.
  • Requiring all workers to wear high-visibility clothing at all times while on the job site.

Construction vehicles and equipment are not the only potential sources of struck-by hazards. There are many occasions when workers are exposed to overhead hazards such as tools, materials and other objects that can be dropped or released and strike a worker. Two practices to put in place that will help to avoid these types of injuries are:

  • Pre-planning routes for suspended loads to ensure that no employee is required to work directly below a load. This is a practice that should always be used. Some have even chosen to hoist materials via crane or derrick before a shift begins to minimize the number of personnel working in the area.
  • Using toeboards and screens to prevent objects from falling on individuals at a lower level.

Safety is recognizing potential hazards, and putting controls in place to avoid injuries. If we follow some basic precautions, we can prevent struck-by injuries from occurring.

Download the recording form here.

Driving: Make the Right Impression

Posted on by admin_ici

People judge us by our actions. They form opinions about us, and sometimes our company, when they watch us work. There is perhaps no more powerful image builder than the way we drive.

How many times have you witnessed a truck driver cut someone off as they made a wide turn, or totally block traffic when they parked without using warning signs? These, and other actions (whether good or bad), influence our impressions of a driver and his company. In our society, where people can capture images with smart phones and upload them via social media, millions of people can see a posted photo instantly. We can refer to the impressions these photos (and sometimes comments) produce as brand impact. Anything that produces a negative impression of a company will hurt business.

When you’re driving a company vehicle, keep in mind that you represent the company, and people are watching. To leave a positive impression, practice defensive driving. Be aware of what others are doing, and adjust your driving techniques.

Defensive driving is based on three factors: visibility, space and communication.

  • Visibility is about seeing and being seen. Be aware of the traffic behind, beside and in front of you. Constantly scan the road ahead and to the side. Check your mirrors every five seconds. Use your lights as required. This will help you avoid hazards.
  • Managing the space around your vehicle will help you avoid a collision. Maintain a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. Tailgating is a sure way to create discomfort in other drivers and can easily result in a collision, if the driver in front has to stop quickly.
  • Communicate with other road users. Make eye contact with pedestrians, cyclists and drivers at intersections. Signal whenever you want to slow down, stop, turn or change lanes. If you need to get another person’s attention, use your horn.

Finally, get to know your vehicle before you drive it. Some vehicles have different systems than you’re used to, like ignition systems, anti-lock brakes, four-wheel drive and systems for traction and stability control.

  • Read the owner’s manual. Make sure you know where all the controls and instruments are and what they do.
  • Practice using wipers and washers, headlights, high beams, heater and defroster, so you can operate them without taking your eyes off the road.
  • Check and adjust your mirrors. Find your blind spots. Many accidents happen when people change lanes and don’t see the person, cyclist or vehicle in their blind spot.

Remember to drive defensively, and keep your company brand in mind when you drive.