Welcome to Safety Watch, a newsletter that provides an update on current loss-control regulatory and technical issues.

CONTENTS

Is your disaster-recovery plan up-to-date? (cover page)

Navigating the confusing reclassification of OSHA's permit-required spaces

Winter driving dangers will soon be present

OSHA to inspect 4,400 high-hazard work sites

LINKS

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Winter driving dangers will soon be present

When roads are wet decrease your speed and increase your following distance.

The hazards associated with winter weather present drivers with conditions that are far different than those they face during the summer. A little preparation as winter approaches will help you travel safely. Here are some important guidelines for safe winter driving:

• Be able to see — and be seen! Clean all the snow and ice off your vehicle, including the windshield, lights, turn signals and painted surfaces. Clearing only the driver’s side of the windshield will severely limit your range of vision. Clean the side and rear windows, outside mirrors, lights and reflectors, too.

Snow and ice blowing back from your hood reduces your visibility and could clog your wiper blades. Snow and ice blowing off your roof and trunk deck affects the visibility of the driver behind you.

Make sure your vehicle is equipped with good wiper blades, and that wiper arms are exerting enough pressure on the blades to ensure a clean sweep. Regularly top off the reservoir for the windshield wiper fluid. In the winter, be sure to use a de-icing fluid.

• Leave yourself an escape route! Driving next to or allowing yourself to be surrounded by other vehicles leaves little room for you to maneuver in the event of trouble. Try to leave yourself as much distance surrounding your vehicle to maneuver around hazards and avoid collisions.

• Get a grip! Tires with good, deep treads are essential for good cornering and handling on slippery roads. Check tire air pressure frequently to maintain the manufacturer’s recommended inflation requirements.

• Get the feel of the road. Occasionally try your brakes, or gently depress your accelerator while driving. When you have found out just how slippery the road is, adjust your speed accordingly. Rising temperatures greatly increase the slipperiness of ice and snow.

• Stretch your “following” distance, knowing that winter surfaces increase stopping distance three to 12 times. Smart drivers increase their normal dry road following distance. Heavy trucks require a longer stopping distance on slippery roads than passenger cars. And don’t tailgate! Sport utility vehicles and other four-wheel-drive vehicles may make driving in snow easier, but they don’t improve stopping ability. Be sure to always maintain a safe stopping distance between your vehicle and the one ahead of you.

• Easy on the brakes! Brake before curves. Unseen hazards around the bend may require an evasive action, so turn your steering wheel slowly and smoothly, keep a constant speed in the turn and use your brakes carefully if it’s necessary to slow down or stop.

If you have an anti-lock braking system (most cars do), do not pump your brakes. The key to stopping under control on slippery surfaces is to avoid locking the wheels. Computer-aided anti-lock brakes do this by constantly adjusting pressure on the brakes. Pumping your brakes will defeat the ability of your car’s braking system to control skids.

If, however, your vehicle does not have anti-lock brakes, a rapid pumping of brakes will provide short intervals of alternately braking and rolling wheels, and will enable you to maintain steering control while stopping.

• A bright idea! Never drive with parking lights instead of headlights in winter’s early dusk and in poor visibility. Parking lights can cause an oncoming driver to think you are farther away than you are. Keep headlights clean; dirty ones can greatly reduce your own seeing distance at night.

Don’t neglect the taillights and brake lights of your vehicle. Snow piled on the bumper or trunk deck can obscure the lights, greatly reducing your visibility to those behind you.

• A breath of fresh air! Most of us know that carbon monoxide gas is present in engine exhaust, and we have enough sense not to let an engine run in a closed garage. But safety experts have suspected for years that carbon monoxide contributes to many more vehicle accidents than we’re able to prove.

Have your vehicle checked regularly to be sure all parts of the manifold, exhaust pipe and muffler are sealed against leaks. Keep your engine properly tuned so that combustion will be as complete as possible. Avoid following other vehicles too closely; their exhausts contain carbon monoxide that can be drawn into your vehicle.

During the cooler months, we’re more apt to drive with all the windows closed. Always have some fresh air coming in. The oxygen in fresh air is what you need more than anything else to offset the effects of carbon monoxide.

The key to safe driving at all times is preparation. During winter months, however, the hazards increase with inclement weather, reduced visibility and less-than-ideal road conditions. Prepare your vehicle and yourself to travel and arrive safely.

Take the time to prepare your vehicle for the colder months. Take the time to clear your vehicle of snow and ice. Take the time to travel more slowly in slippery road conditions by leaving earlier than usual. Take the time to arrive alive!

For assistance or more information on this topic, please contact:

Michael Murtha
NATLSCO Risk and Safety Services
Phone: 908-715-4245
Fax: 732-521-4251
E-mail: mmurtha@us.bureauveritas.com