Welcome to the monthly edition of the Safety Topic Guide! Each edition contains important information you may pass on to your drivers.

This topical information is also discussed by our trainers in weekly Safety Meetings and provides a consistent safety message to the fleet.

If you have an idea for a safety topic, please email it to Scott Stephan or Pax Rolfe.

Thank you for all that you do!

Monthly Safety Quote:

“Chance takers are accident makers!

Use equipment properly!”

Winter is coming! Remember to ask whether fuel is treated each time you fuel. If you’re traveling from a southern state to somewhere in the north, you may need to purchase additive. You can also pick-up additive in Tulsa or Laredo. If you have any questions, call Outside Repair.

November

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05

DDC : Leave Yourself an Out

Compliance/IP: Maintaining Your Rig

Load Securement: Tarping

Rollover Prevention

iCare : Stretching

Tips on “Leave Yourself An Out”:

1. Avoid traveling in traffic clusters.2. Surround yourself with space.3. Anticipate the actions of others.4. Have a pre-planned area to steer to if needed.5. Never allow other vehicles to travel next to yours.6. Clear the space ahead, beside, and behind

before changing lanes.

November Leave Yourself an Out

Always leave an out.

Smith System Key Four instructs us to always leave an out. We define an “out” as a safe place for us to drive the vehicle if things go wrong. Using the space in front of the vehicle to apply the brakes and come to a stop, is arguably the easiest out to maintain. This space should be available most of the time if key one “Aim High in Steering” is being applied properly.

Being easy shouldn’t be an excuse for ignoring or forgetting key four. As with the other keys, you must actively be thinking about and evaluating your situation. The time when your awareness is low is when tragedy may strike.

When key two “Get the Big Picture” is also being actively applied, you will have the option of changing lanes to the left or right. Typically, moving to the right will be the best option if it is a firm shoulder with no traffic. If that is not the case and you have active lanes to either side, your awareness should be increased so that at any time you have a clear lane to move into, be it right, left, or straight ahead.

Of the five keys of the Smith System, “Always leave an out” should be the easiest to maintain. If you are performing the other keys properly, you will have space around the vehicle and leaving an out is just a matter of choosing which one is best.

Tickets and Inspections

Vehicle Maintenance and Cargo Basic:

CSA (Compliance, Safety, Accountability) was designed to prevent fatality accidents. One of the 7 BASIC categories is Vehicle Maintenance and Cargo. By keeping unfit equipment off the road and ensuring that cargo remains on the trailer and is properly secured, DOT expects a significant decrease in the number of fatal accidents involving big rigs. The Vehicle Maintenance and Cargo basic is structured to ensure drivers conduct regular, routine inspections of their commercial vehicle, immediately correct safety defects and secure freight efficiently and safely.

Examples of violations included in this category are:

• Improper Load Securement (21 pts ) FMCSR Section 393.102 (c)

• Tires / Tubes (general) (24 pts ) FMCSR Section 393.75

• Insufficient or improper lamps (18 pts ) FMCSR Section 393.24

• Underinflated Tire (9 pts ) FMCSR Section 393.75(f)

• No edge protection for tie down (9 pts ) FMSCR Section 393.104 (f)(4)

• Insufficient number of tie downs (9 pts ) FMCSR Section 393.106 (d)

• Failure to prevent movement (9 pts ) FMCSR Section 393.106 (b)

• Defective 5th wheel (9 pts ) FMCSR Section 393.70

The primary source for this information to ensure the requirements are met will be based on roadside inspections. Three quick tips that will help get every inspection off to a good start:

1. Perform a thorough PTI at the beginning and end of each driving day.

2. Immediately address and correct all safety defects.

3. Operate within the posted speed limit! - an inspection that begins as part of a traffic stopis never going to go your way!

November

Tarping is required to protect freight from damage while in transit. One of the leading reasons for cargo claims is improper or inadequate tarping which leads to wet loads and a major expense. Not only does Melton Truck Lines pay for the damaged cargo, but claims often result in unhappy or lost customers and an average of two days down time for the driver while the claim is processed. Tarping is both an art and a science ~ use the proper technique and take the time you need to do it properly.

Here are some simple steps to prevent wet loads or cargo claims:

• Tarp Maintenance: Padding your load properly will prevent holes and tears that allowwater inside the tarp. The responsiblity for maintaining your tarps and patching as thetarp wears is yours.

• Tarping Techniques:

1. Create a seal where the tarp rests across thedeck of the trailer. Use a 2”x4” placed over thefolded edge of the tarp, secured with a strapto keep water from the deck of the trailer fromseeping in under the tarp.

2. Create a pocket that will keep water fromseeping between the tarps. Fold the front 6” to8” of your rear tarp up and back toward therear of the load before pulling the front tarpover the top of the rear tarp.

3. When tarping aluminum or steel products thatare still warm from the production line, placecardboard under the plastic wrapping and“tent” the tarp out so that air can circulate.Doing these two things will help eliminatecondensation damage.

Tarping November

Rollover Prevention November

November

Don’t leave out this essential fitness component!

You may think that stretching is just something to be done if you have a few extra minutes

before or after pounding out some miles on the treadmill. The focus is exercising, not

stretching, right?

Not so fast. Although studies about the benefits of stretching are mixed, stretching may

help you improve your joint range of motion, which in turn may help improve your athletic

performance and decrease your risk of injury.

More research is needed, but some benefits of stretching are thought to be:

• Stretching can help improve flexibility, and, consequently, range of motion in your joints.

Better flexibility may improve your performance in physical activities or decrease your

risk of injuries by helping your joints move through their full range of motion and

enabling your muscles to work most effectively.

• Stretching also increases blood flow to the muscle. You may come to enjoy the ritual of

stretching before or after hitting the trail, ballet floor or soccer field.

Before you plunge into stretching, be sure you are doing it safely and effectively. While you

can stretch anytime, anywhere, you want to be sure to use proper technique. Stretching

incorrectly can actually do more harm than good.

Use these tips to keep stretching safe:

• Don't consider stretching a warm-up. You may hurt yourself if you stretch cold muscles.

Before stretching, warm up with light walking, jogging or biking at low intensity for five

to 10minutes. Or better yet, stretch after you exercise when your muscles are warmed

up.

• Also, consider holding off on stretching before an intense activity, such as sprinting or

track and field activities. Some research suggests that pre-event stretching before these

types of events may actually decrease performance.

• Strive for symmetry. Everyone's genetics for flexibility are a bit different. Rather thanstriving for that gymnast or ballet dancer range of motion, focus on having equalflexibility side to side (especially if you have a history of a previous injury).

• Focus on major muscle groups. When you're stretching, focus on major muscle groups

such as your calves, thighs, hips, lower back, neck and shoulders.

• Also stretch muscles and joints that you routinely use at work or play. Make sure that you

stretch both sides. For instance, if you stretch your left hamstring, be sure to stretch your

right hamstring, too.

Stretching

November

Continued-

• If you don't stretch regularly, you risk losing any benefits that stretching offered. For

instance, if stretching helped you increase your range of motion, and you stop stretching,

your range of motion may decrease again.

• Don't bounce. Stretch in a smooth movement, without bouncing. Bouncing as you stretch

can cause injury to your muscle.

• Hold your stretch. Hold each stretch for about 30 seconds; in problem areas, you may

need to hold for around 60 seconds. Breathe normally as you stretch.

• Don't aim for pain. Expect to feel tension while you're stretching, not pain. If it hurts,

you've pushed too far. Back off to the point where you don't feel any pain, then hold the

stretch.

• Make stretches sport specific. Some evidence suggests that it's helpful to do stretches

tailored for your sport or activity. If you play soccer, for instance, you're more vulnerable

to hamstring strains. So opt for stretches that help your hamstrings.

• Keep up with your stretching. Stretching can be time-consuming. But you can achieve the

most benefit by stretching regularly, at least two to three times a week.

• Bring movement into your stretching. Gentle movement can help you be more flexible in

specific movements. The gentle movements of tai chi or yoga, for instance, may be a

good way to stretch.

• And if you're going to perform a specific activity, such as a kick in martial arts or kicking a

soccer ball, do the move slowly and at low intensity at first to get your muscles used to it.

Then speed up gradually as your muscles become accustomed to the motion.

In some cases, you may need to approach stretching with caution. If you have a chronic

condition or an injury, you may need to adjust your stretching techniques. For example, if

you already have a strained muscle, stretching it may cause further harm.

Also, don't think that because you stretch you can't get injured. Stretching, for instance,

won't prevent an overuse injury. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about the most

appropriate way to stretch if you have any health concerns.

Source: The Mayo Clinic…

Stretching