Bozeman Hill - I-90
We recently held a meeting with MDT’s Maintenance leadership to discuss winter maintenance practices and challenges, specifically on Bozeman Hill. In addition to several Trucking companies, the Tow Truck Association was also in attendance. Hopefully working with MDT we can avoid road closures like what happened on May 7th & 8th of this year.
Hiring and retaining snowplow drivers in the Bozeman area is a big challenge as it is with most employers. To address this, MDT is utilizing snowplow drivers from around the state to work in the Bozeman area for a week at a time. They are also installing more road closure gates and variable messages signs to help notify motorists approaching the hill from the east and westbound directions. We also discussed technologies, the process for determining when chains are required, and ways to be more responsive on closing the road just in time during events so it doesn’t plug up with traffic which hinders the abilities to plow the road.
We will continue to stay involved. Please reach out if you have any suggestions.
CVSA’s Brake Safety Week Scheduled for August 25-31
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has announced Aug. 25-31 as the dates for this year’s Brake Safety Week.
Brake Safety Week is a commercial motor vehicle and driver inspection and regulatory compliance enforcement initiative, a brake-safety awareness and outreach opportunity, and a brake-related inspection and violation data-collection project.
Inspection and Enforcement
CVSA-certified inspectors will conduct routine commercial motor vehicle inspections throughout the week, focusing on brake systems and components. Commercial motor vehicles found to have brake-related out-of-service violations will be removed from roadways until those violations are corrected.
For this year’s Brake Safety Week, inspectors will focus on the condition of brake linings and pads. Brake lining and pad issues may result in vehicle violations and could affect a motor carrier’s safety rating.
In addition, some jurisdictions have performance-based brake testers (PBBT) and will be using them during Brake Safety Week. A PBBT is a machine that assesses the braking performance of a vehicle. Read More
Share the Road
Great Share the Road event in Belgrade! 78 students were educated on the importance of sharing the road with trucks! Big thanks to New Sky LLC and Interwest Moving & Storage.
Truck Driver Appreciation
Truck Driver Appreciation week is September 15-21 and we will be honoring the drivers Wednesday September 18th at the Billings, Conrad and Haugen scales! Below is the volunteer and sponsorship form for anyone who wants to celebrate everything professional drivers do for us!
FMCSA High Alert - New Phishing Fake Email
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requests your assistance in amplifying this important message regarding a new phishing fake email.
The agency is aware that an email is being sent to registered entities by a party pretending to be FMCSA and requesting that carriers complete forms attached to the email. Those forms ask for a social security number and USDOT PIN. FMCSA does not require such information on official FMCSA forms. Carriers should NOT fill out forms attached to the fake email, and always refer to the official FMCSA forms for the latest and official documents. In some cases, the phishing attempt also asks for a certificate of insurance and driver’s license to help protect the recipient against fraud. There is also a threat that if the recipient does not respond within a day, the individual will be fined, which is also not an FMCSA practice as part of the registration process.
The fake email originates from either safety@fmcsa.gov, filing@fmcsa.gov, dotfilings@fmcsa.gov or audit@fmcsa.gov, none of which are legitimate email addresses and are NOT used or owned by FMCSA. Next, if the recipient replies to the email, their message actually goes to @fmcsa-safety-fmcsa.com, which is also NOT a domain owned or used by FMCSA. Not only is some of this information Personal Identifiable information (PII), but this information would also allow the unauthorized party to gain access to the recipient’s FMCSA account. The fake email containing the phishing link appears very convincing that the correspondence is from FMCSA. Screenshots of the fake email can be found on FMCSA’s website.
Communications from FMCSA relating to information requests of this type would either request individuals to log into their portal account at FMCSA Login (dot.gov), or the email would come directly from an FMCSA dedicated mailbox. While these emails typically end in “.gov”, we encourage our stakeholders and customers to verify any email or communication they feel to be suspicious with the appropriate agency.
Here’s What Individuals Can Do:
Do not click any suspicious links, hover over them to see the real email address of url of that link. Click only on links you deem trustworthy
Visit the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency for more guidance on online deceiving tactics. Learn more about phishing
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends following certain procedures for email verification.
File a complaint with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) by using their IC3 site
Reach out to the FMCSA Contact Center or call (1-800-832-5660) if you are the target of these practices
Thank you
Will's Safety Message
SAFETY MANAGEMENT TOOLS TO SUPPORT OLDER WORKERS
There are several tools’ employers can use to support older workers in maintaining their health and in encouraging them to stay engaged and safe in the workplace.
PHYSICAL EXAMS
Physicals can be conducted to help determine if an individual’s physical abilities match the essential functions of the specific job or task(s) and determine if any accommodations or role changes should be made. Physical exams with a musculoskeletal emphasis are recommended for this purpose. During the hiring process, physicals can only be conducted post-offer. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines, union contracts, age discrimination laws, and other relevant state and federal laws are all highly relevant to this matter. Any business implementing a physical exam program is strongly advised to first consult a lawyer who specializes in employment law.
FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULES
Consider offering older employees schedule options that might include flexible shift hours, various task assignments, and part-time and work-share schedules.
WELLNESS PROGRAMS
Wellness programs actively encourage better health in all employees. Generally, better employee health relates to a lower risk of work-related injuries.
STRETCHING PROGRAMS
Build into the day microbreak stretches for highly repetitive work. Stretching for one minute every half hour can make a big difference in employees’ physical and mental health. Studies show that formal stretching breaks benefit any-aged employees in a variety of industries – from manufacturing or packaging lines to employees working at service counters and stationary desks.
TASK SELECTION OPTIONS
Refine your task selection options, steering older workers toward tasks or work assignments that they are best able to perform.
ERGONOMIC CONTROLS
Proper ergonomics can play an important safety role for any employee in any work situation. For example, proper ergonomics can enable workers to work in a neutral, optimal posture and reduce manual material handling by using mechanical aids to lift heavy loads. No matter the job or industry, proper ergonomics can improve employees’ physical health, contributing to their ability to continue working at full capability.
SAFE WALKING SURFACES
You can improve the safety of walking and working surfaces by eliminating slip, trip and fall hazards. These hazards can impact anyone, but the chance of falling increases with age.
TASK LIGHTING
Enhance task lighting for detailed work to reduce eye strain and improve safety. Proper lighting helps every worker and especially those who may be dealing with loss of visual acuity.
OUTSOURCE TASKS
Consider hiring contractors with specialty expertise or equipment to perform unusual projects or hazardous tasks.
TEMP WORKERS
Temporary workers hired from a temp agency or elsewhere can be helpful with intensive tasks, such as moving furniture.
SUBSEQUENT INJURY FUND
Workers who may have a qualifying condition, a medically certifiable impairment that impacts their ability to secure work or reenter the workforce, may be encouraged to register with the state Subsequent Injury Fund.
Stay Safe!
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