The dangers tractor trailer drivers face on the road are well known: dangerous fellow motorists, hazardous weather conditions, mechanical difficulties that could lead to an accident. However, truckers aren’t necessarily safe once they reach their destination. At warehouses, docks or construction sites, drivers are exposed to struck-by, crushed-between, and other safety hazards.

A California roofing company that’s been investigated and cited for fall hazards on six different occasions over the past four years has done it again. “California Premier Roofscapes has repeatedly put its workers at risk of potentially deadly falls from heights, disregarding basic safety requirements to protect its employees,” said Cal/OSHA Chief Juliann Sum.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is hoping an anti-texting-while-driving campaign will reduce the growing number of motor vehicle accidents that are caused by distracted driving. The ‘U Drive. U Text. U Pay.’ ads will appear on television, radio, and digital platforms and will target motorists aged 18 to 34 – those who, data shows, are most likely to die in distraction-affected crashes.

OSHA has added a searchable list of authorized Outreach trainers to its website make it easier for you to find authorized instructors for the 10- and 30-hour Outreach classes. The list provides trainer names and contact information, and indicates which course the trainer is authorized to teach (construction, general industry, maritime, or disaster site worker classes).

Next week, April 9-13, is “Stand-Up for Grain Engulfment Prevention Week,” an effort on the part of OSHA and the National Grain and Feed Association to reduce the number of grain engulfment deaths in the U.S. – which usually occur from suffocation.

OSHA seems to be devaluing advice from outside stakeholders — or at least from workers. We’ve written before about the Trump Administration’s proposal in its FY 2019 budget document to kill two OSHA federal Advisory Committees. ProPublica, along with the Santa Fe New Mexican has has now published an article on the demise of OSHA’s five Advisory Committees which provide advice to the Assistant Secretary on general OSHA issues, construction, maritime, whistleblower and federal employee health and safety issues.

Employees who drive for work face significant roadway risks, and motor vehicle crashes can devastate families, communities, and organizations. Crashes are the leading cause of workplace fatalities, with 1,252 deaths of vehicle drivers and passengers on public roads in 2016. In 2013, on-the-job crashes cost employers over $25 billion and led to 155,000 lost work days. Despite the human and financial costs of crashes, only 24 percent of employers offer occupational health services as part of their wellness programs.

Five expert committees advised the federal government on ways to improve workplace safety and enhance whistleblower protections. Under President Donald Trump, their work has stopped and their recommendations are now stalled.

DEKRA Organizational Safety & Reliability, a global leader in safety at work, has launched a new practice area and solution set, the Brain-Centric Reliability™ system, to help organizations understand the brain’s role in safety. The Brain-Centric Reliability system uses Applied Neuroscience combined with High Performance Reliability Organization (HighPRO) Principles to define the why of human behavior on the job and eliminate human performance errors related to critical operational activities.

Safely operating large, potentially dangerous construction and agricultural equipment can be challenging. Information that enhances training and usage can help reduce the risks of working with such equipment. One source of information about equipment safety is the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), which has resources available to both its 900+ members and to the general public.