CSA Changes, Air Conditioning, and Construction
Schneider Eggs. According to the USDOT, rear-end, fixed object, head-on, and angle-related crashes are the most common collisions in work zones. Our insurance carrier, Great West Casualty, has coined the Essential 7 Driving Techniques to prevent work zone crashes. They are as follows:
- Proper speed for conditions: Slow down when approaching the construction zone. When inside the construction zone, do not exceed the posted limit. Once clear of the work zone, do not speed up until signs indicate the end of construction and the posted speed is adjusted for the increase.
- Proper following distance: A minimum of six seconds is recommended under normal conditions. But it is advisable to add an additional couple of seconds if other hazards are present i.e. dust, brake lights, merging construction equipment, etc.
- Maintain one lane: As lanes end approaching the work zone and vehicles jockey for position, begin merging as soon as possible (if needed) and then stay in that lane. Also be observant of narrow lanes, uneven lanes, and lane shifts.
- Yield the right of way: Encroaching on someone else’s lane is not yielding the right of way. Not all motorists know or realize that merging traffic must yield to the flowing traffic. Protect yourself and the unknowing motorist by preparing.
- Avoid distractions: Flashing lights warning signs and clouds of dust are common exterior distractions in construction zones, so drivers must be extra attentive. Likewise avoid in-cab distractions, like changing the radio station, talking or texting on a hand held cell phone (which is illegal), eating, drinking, or anything else that detracts from the task of driving.
- Be attentive to the road ahead: Watch for workers and construction vehicles that may enter the roadway, as well as obstacles and debris. By being attentive to the road ahead, a driver can anticipate problems and react in time.
- React properly to hazards: It only takes a second for a hazard to present itself, so allowing extra time to identify and react to hazards gives you an opportunity to determine the safest course of action. Develop the “what if” strategy. What if a barrel rolls into your lane? What if a worker walks or stumbles into your lane? What if debris, such as rocks, boulders, or construction material falls onto the roadway in front of you? What if …?
Air Conditioning and Cancer. According to some vehicle owner’s manuals you should open the windows after you enter your car, and then after a couple of minutes, turn ON the A/C. Here is why:
According to research, the car's dashboard, seats, A/C ducts, in fact ALL of the plastic objects in your vehicle, emit Benzene, a cancer causing toxin. A BIG CARCINOGEN. Take the time to observe the smell of heated plastic in your car when you open it, and BEFORE you start it up. Benzene poisons your bones, causes anemia, and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged exposure can cause Leukemia and increases the risk of some cancers. It can also cause miscarriages in pregnant women.
The "acceptable" Benzene level indoors is: 50mg per square foot. A car parked indoors, with windows closed, will contain 400-800 mg of Benzene - 8 times the acceptable level. If parked outdoors in the sun, at a temperature above 60 degrees F, the Benzene level goes up to 2000-4000 mg,40 times the acceptable level.
People, who get into the car, keeping the windows closed, will eventually inhale excessive amounts of the BENZENE toxin.
Benzene is a toxin that affects your kidneys and liver. What's worse, it is extremely difficult for your body to expel this toxic stuff. Benzene has also been linked to miscarriages.
CSA Changes Coming. Another round of changes to the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program is in the works. Currently, the HAZMAT BASIC is not made public. The proposal is to make the HAZMAT BASIC public. Also proposed is lowering the intervention threshold for the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC and raising the Controlled substance/Alcohol BASIC. The proposal also suggests that cargo tank carriers be segregated from non-cargo tank carriers.