Photo by Richard Smith, HTrans Driver

I have been with HTrans for over a year now and during that time one of the primary focuses has been to look for opportunities to improve the safety of our Driver Team.

We have accomplished a great deal towards that end by rolling out dash cameras to our entire fleet, implementing additional monthly safety training, corrective action training, and addressing some regular stops that present challenging hazards to our drivers.

An additional improvement in the realm of safety was adding new electric pallet jacks for our Driver Team, which we started rolling out towards the end of 2022.

Moving 2,000+ lb. pallets of coffee syrups or other heavy products with a manual electric pallet jack can present a risk of injury. Providing our drivers with the right tools significantly lowers that risk and these new electric pallet jacks have been a great help to the team.

Safety will always be the number one concern in the transportation industry, and we continue to explore new ways to get our drivers the tools and support they need to be as safe as possible. We are currently testing some back-up camera systems for our trailers and are always looking at concerns the Driver Team brings to our attention.

We all greatly appreciate everyone’s help in keeping our drivers safe out there on the road.

Written by Brandon Raymond, Transportation Supervisor

Find additional safety content on the Houston’s Blog.

The post Top Priority: Safety on the Road appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Snow cover on Houston’s parking lot. (Jan 2017)

“That time of the year” is upon us. October arrives and brings about Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. It is a great time of the year for family, fun, and laughter, but it is also the time of the year that brings in a change of weather. Although we are thinking about snowy conditions just yet, there are other conditions that sometimes tend to be overlooked.

We encourage all of our drivers to follow these inclement weather safety tips, and you should too!

1. To prepare your vehicle for the weather conditions, begin by making sure you have good wiper blades. Luckily they aren’t too expensive, but it is recommended to switch out your blades at least every six months. It is also a good idea to apply water repellent to your windshield as well, since the glass is completely sealed.
2. Although your vehicle may have a warning indicator, it is still a good idea to periodically check that all of your lights are working before heading out. Carrying an extra bulb or two may also come in handy for those, “it was working just a minute ago,” moments.
3. Make sure to check the wear on your tires. Having a low tread or a “bald” tire only increases your chances of sliding across wet pavement since their is no traction to grab the road.
4. Be aware of invisible slick spots, such as wet leaves in the ground or even oil as these can cause loss of traction as well.
5. Be careful of hydroplaning. Hydroplaning usually happens when someone is driving too fast over a water-covered roadway, or when tires are worn out or bald. This experience can be quite scary because you can’t steer, stop, or do anything to control your car. If you find yourself hydroplaning, the best thing to do is to take your foot off the break and allow the vehicle to coast. Any sudden movement could cause you to spin out of control, so try to keep the steering wheel as steady as possible.
6. As the weather gets colder, ice becomes another major weather factor. Make sure to be aware of weather conditions before leaving the house so you can plan accordingly and travel to work safely, while still being on time.

While many of us love this fall weather and the chance to bundle up and drink cocoa, start decorating, or planning for the holidays, keep in mind the importance of traveling safely to and from your destinations during these hazardous weather conditions.

Fun fact: If ice is forming outside of your car mirrors, it is very likely that ice is forming on untreated roadways.

The post Safety Corner: Inclement Weather Safety appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Houston’s truck

Houston’s values the safety of all of our employees. Our drivers are at the greatest risk for injury as their tasks encompass a wide variety of physical activities. From unloading/reloading pallets onto their trucks multiple times each day, to constantly getting in and our of their trucks, we want our drivers to practice safety.

OSHA states that truck drivers have more nonfatal injuries than any other industry. More than half of those injuries are sprains or strains caused by slips and falls while getting into or out of trucks. Using what’s called the three points of contact system when entering and exiting a truck can help to significantly reduce the chance of a serious injury from a slip or fall.

For those of who don’t know, or those who may need a refresher: three-points of contact form a triangle of anchor points, which changes in form when mounting or dismounting a vehicle. The three points of contact system is in reference to three of four limbs being in contact with the vehicle at all times. Both feet should be planted on the steps with one hand grabbing a solid object, such as the steering wheel or the grab handle. The other option is to have both hands on the grab handles or steering while while having one foot on the step. These techniques will help to provide maximum stability and support while reducing the risk of slipping or falling.

Do:

• Always enter and exit facing the cab.
• Mount and dismount only when the equipment is stopped.
• Take extra care in wet, snowy, or icy weather.
• Avoid wearing loose or torn clothing that can catch on the equipment.

Don’t:

• Don’t every jump off a truck. Doing so exerts 12 times your body weight on your joints when you land.
• Don’t climb down with something in your free hand. Put it on the vehicle floor and reach up for it when you get to the ground.
• Don’t use tires or wheel hubs as a step surface.
• Don’t use the door frame or door edge as a hand hold.

If you are a truck driver, we encourage you to keep these tips in mind as you go about your daily tasks to minimize the risk of injury on the job.

By Karmen Mentor

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