The New 2020 Hours of Service Rule: More Flexibility & Productivity
Roughly two years in the making, new federal hours-of-service (HOS) rules have arrived. The new rules could provide commercial truck and bus drivers across the nation with a lot more flexibility — and with more productivity — if applied correctly. They also hold the risk of increased liability for those who don't apply them properly.
Before using the new rules, you and your drivers must understand how and when they apply — and how to implement them properly. This whitepaper summarizes the new hours-of-service rules, who's affected by the new rules, how they might apply to your operations, how you can use each of the four changes to your benefit, and considerations you need to keep in mind as you put the new rules into use.
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The Ins and Outs of HazCom Training
Hazard communication remains one of OSHA's Top 10 violations from year to year. While the standard has numerous requirements, one that often trips up employers is training.
This whitepaper provides guidance on the required elements of an effective hazard communication training program, to help ensure you're in compliance with the regulations.
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Coronavirus & Mental Health
The tension and uncertainty brought on by this historic pandemic can lead to or exacerbate mental health issues. Your employees may be struggling, and you need to respond appropriately when they need help.
By providing valuable tips for managing mental health, and detailed explanations of working remotely long term and employee leave, this whitepaper can help you ensure the well-being of your employees.
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Driver Wellness
Help ensure the health and well-being of your drivers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Written by our in-house team of regulatory experts, this relevant resource covers common driver wellness topics — such as stress management, adequate nutrition, and more — while also offering real-world pandemic management strategies.
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Return to Work: Are you prepared when COVID-19 tags along?
Whether you have employees who are subject to a quarantine or isolation order, employees who are reluctant to return to work, or employees who tested positive or have related symptoms, you need to respond appropriately to keep your workforce safe, while maintaining productivity.
Having a plan in place can help you handle situations if or when they arise. This detailed whitepaper will help you know what to do if COVID-19 tags along to work!
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Open For Business: Operating Safely After The Coronavirus Lockdown
As lockdowns start to relax and businesses begin returning to normal operations, employers need to provide for the safety of their workers and customers. Every workplace should develop and implement a plan, then continually review and modify that plan as new information becomes available. This clear, easy-to-understand whitepaper covers the key elements of an effective reopening plan.
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Preparing for Pandemics: What Businesses Need to Know
The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us to expect the unexpected. But, to do that, requires a concerted effort by many employees in a company to create a strong, yet flexible plan.
This detailed whitepaper explains the key elements of an effective pandemic plan, including:
- Communication
- Partial/complete shutdown planning
- Returning to work after weathering the storm
- Safety training for workers
- Telecommuting
- Recognizing and preventing cabin fever
- And more!
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Managing Remote Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic
When 2020 began, the average manager may have supervised a handful of remote workers. Now, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies are having some or all of their employees work from home for the foreseeable future.
Telecommuting provides benefits for both employers and employees. However, it also presents challenges. For example, how does the company make sure remote workers are on task, on schedule, and performing up to par?
This information-packed whitepaper provides proven tips for establishing and maintaining a productive remote workforce during these challenging times.
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OSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping and Reporting Related to COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the way we do business in this country. Workers who are able to are now working from home, and workers who are in construction or manufacturing are practicing social distancing on the job.
Because the crisis is unprecedented, OSHA is releasing guidance in short bursts.
This whitepaper examines what OSHA has to say about the recordability of COVID-19 in the workplace along with the agency’s injury and illness recordkeeping and reporting regulations in 29 CFR Part 1904.
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Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) was signed into law on March 18, 2020 in response to a growing outbreak of a novel infectious coronavirus.
As a result of the outbreak, employers are faced with unprecedented changes, in part because some employees are not able to go to work due to parenting demands, quarantine or stay-at-home orders, or as a preventive measure regarding the disease.
The FFCRA is designed to help employees and employers respond to this need for additional leave.
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Coronavirus Posting Compliance: New Requirements and Best Practices for Remote Employees
When the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) was signed on March 18, 2020 it brought a new federal posting requirement.
The COVID-19 pandemic that drove the legislation adds new compliance challenges to this requirement.
The need for social distancing is remaking the workplace and the way we communicate with employees. That means thinking about the best way to make employees aware of their rights no matter where they are located.
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Coronavirus and Your Workplace
The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents new challenges in the workplace. Businesses can get ready to respond to the crisis by creating a multi-faceted plan and by being able to adapt to an ever-changing situation in a way that supports the entire organization.
Written by J. J. Keller Editor Terri Dougherty, the free whitepaper Coronavirus and Your Workplace covers everything your business needs to consider to be prepared for the coronavirus crisis:
- Responding to the outbreak
- Communicating with your workforce
- Consideration of employee rights
- OSHA compliance responsibilities
- Support for business operations
- A flexible and timely response
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5 Reasons To Pay Attention To Employment Law Postings
Staying on top of required state and federal employment law postings is not something to neglect. Employers who do not meet posting requirements risk incurring significant fines.
This whitepaper covers 5 topics:
- Federal agency interest
- Good-faith efforts
- Keeping up with posting changes
- Determining which postings apply
- Mandatory vs. minor changes
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Are Your Employees Under the Influence? Developing and Maintaining a Compliant Drug & Alcohol Program
The cost of employee substance abuse adds up quickly, and it is vital for your company to detect and deter drug and alcohol abuse among employees.
However, the details aren't always easy to navigate. A number of laws and regulations impact an organization’s substance abuse policy and the way its program is run.
Written by J. J. Keller editors Terri Dougherty and Kathy Close, the free whitepaper – Are Your Employees Under the Influence? – answers the most common questions associated with drug and alcohol program management to help you understand laws and best practices.
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Difficult Conversations: Five Common Mistakes Managers Are Making
On any given day, managers face employee relations issues. While these issues may differ in seriousness, one thing they have in common is that they require the ability to effectively communicate with the employees involved. Yet, many managers lack the knowledge and training to handle the variety of conversations that can arise from these issues.
This whitepaper covers the five most common mistakes managers make that could potentially lead good workers right out the door and how to prevent that from happening.
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DOT Drug and Alcohol Program: What You Need to Know
An impaired driver operating a CMV can cause untold damage for companies, from lawsuits to fines and penalties. With so much at stake, it is vital that your company detect and deter drug abuse and alcohol misuse in its commercial drivers.
Written by J. J. Keller Editor Kathy Close, the free whitepaper DOT Drug and Alcohol Program can help you understand what is required of USDOT drug and alcohol testing programs, including:
- Drug and alcohol testing regulations
- Driver dos and don'ts
- Staff training
- Program management
- And more!
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Hazardous Chemicals 101: Understanding the Difference Between Hazmat, HazCom and Hazwaste
The term "hazardous" is applied to many chemicals and raw materials. Various agencies regulate hazardous materials, and those rules change depending upon which agency is regulating them and where those products are in the production process.
Your workers may be exposed when these chemicals are shipped, received, stored, used, or disposed of.
This free whitepaper reviews some of the differences between hazmat, HazCom and hazwaste, and covers the regulations that apply to them.
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How OSHA's Confined Spaces in Construction Affects Non-Construction Companies
OSHA's Confined Spaces in Construction Standard (29 CFR 1926 Subpart AA) applies to ANY company with employees who are engaged in “construction activities” at a worksite with one or more permit-required confined spaces.
Bottom line: whether you work for a transport company, a manufacturer or a construction company, there’s a good chance your company could be affected.
It's important to know when, why and how to apply this rule to help you stay in compliance and avoid fines.
This free whitepaper covers the basics of the new rule, including:
- Confined space vs. permit-required confined space
- Overview of the new construction standard
- Key differences between the general industry & construction standards
- Required training
- And more
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How Transporters Are Affected by Walking-Working Surfaces
When a truck driver is in a truck, Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations apply. However, when a driver is in a facility, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations apply. This means that the recent Walking-Working Surfaces final rule, which OSHA finalized on November 18, 2016, regulates truck drivers in certain situations.
This whitepaper summarizes the new Walking-Working Surfaces requirements as they apply to the transportation industry, including:
- General requirements
- Fall protection for loading docks, dockboards and service pits
- Training
- Critical compliance dates
- And more!
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Implementing an Effective Vehicle Maintenance Program
Implementing an Effective Vehicle Maintenance Program" vehicle="" />While the regulations require a carrier to have a systematic and effective maintenance program, they do not specify what it must include. In short, it is left up to the carrier to decide what to do when it comes to maintaining its equipment. However, if the program is not adequate, it will be evident to officers on the road, investigators, and auditors.
Written by Senior J. J. Keller Editor Tom Bray, the free Implementing an Effective Vehicle Maintenance Program whitepaper takes a look at best practices when it comes to structuring and operating an effective and systematic maintenance program.
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Injury and Illness Recordkeeping: Easing The Pain
Injury and Illness Recordkeeping: Easing The Pain" />Maintaining and analyzing injury and illness records is a widely-recognized method for uncovering workplace safety and health problems, and for tracking your progress in solving those problems.
Accurate recordkeeping can also ensure that you are not recording more injuries and illnesses than you need to, which can skew your incident rates and lead to an OSHA inspection.
Written by J. J. Keller Editor Lisa Neuberger, this whitepaper includes information on OSHA's recordkeeping requirements, including:
- Exemptions
- What Is and Isn't Recordable
- Determination of Work-Relatedness
- Recordkeeping Exceptions
- What Forms Must Be Used
- And much more
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Inspections: Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls and Other Workplace Hazards
By its very nature, every workplace is hazardous. In order to prevent worker injury and create a safe working environment, employers are required to identify hazards in their facility.
Inspections are a systematic, objective tool to recognize these potential problems, as well as provide you with the opportunity to correct them before an OSHA inspector finds you in violation.
This free whitepaper covers inspection requirements and best practices, including:
- Preparation
- Checklists
- Corrective action
- Recordkeeping
- And more!
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Interstate vs. Intrastate Transportation: What’s the Difference?
Knowing the difference between interstate and intrastate transportation is vital. Not having a solid understanding can put a motor carrier out of compliance, resulting in potential fines and penalties for both the motor carrier and driver.
Written by J. J. Keller editor Jill Schultz, this free whitepaper covers:
- Interstate commerce
- Intrastate commerce
- The difference between the two
- Why those differences matter
- Taxation and authority
- And more!
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Machine Safeguarding, LOTO, and Electrical Safety: Integral and Interrelated
Understanding the interrelationship between three elements of machine use—machine guarding, lockout/tagout and electrical safety—can lead to a more robust safety program.
This whitepaper, written by J. J. Keller Senior Editor Travis Rhoden, helps you integrate these three elements to prevent injuries and fatalities.
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On The Road To Good Health: How To Support Driver Wellness
There are few workers who face as many wellness stumbling blocks as those who spend their days on the road.
Seven in 10 professional truck drivers are obese, compared to 3 in 10 Americans, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
In this whitepaper, Bob Perry, Founder of the company Rolling Strong and Chair of the American Trucking Associations’ Safety Management Council’s Health & Wellness Working Group, shares tips on driver wellness strategies like how to make healthy choices on the road.
Written by J. J. Keller Editor Terri Dougherty, the whitepaper covers:
- Steps to move toward wellness
- Benefits of having healthy drivers for employers
- How to emphasize the positives of a health program
- And more!
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OSHA 101: What Every Business Should Know
Most employers are aware that OSHA is the federal government agency that enforces workplace safety and health requirements. Beyond that, however, there are many fears and misconceptions about what the Agency does and does not do.
This whitepaper details OSHA requirements and jurisdiction, particularly as they pertain to smaller employers, as well as the enforcement process the Agency follows.
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OSHA Inspections: Are You Prepared?
On average, OSHA conducts about 35,000 inspections each year. Would your workplace stand up to inspection?
Written by J. J. Keller editor Jessica Rios, this whitepaper walks you through the processes of inspection, citation and preparation to make sure you are truly prepared.
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OSHA's Top 10 Violations: How Does Your Compliance Program Stack Up?
As a company safety advocate, you want to provide a safe workplace and play a part in your company’s risk management. What better way than to study OSHA’s top violations and learn what you can do now to avoid them?
This comprehensive whitepaper walks you through OSHA's top ten violations in 2018. Learn insightful best practices to avoid violations, how to increase your safety management controls, as well as common industry shortcomings.
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Steering Clear of Bad CSA Scores: The Driver's Role
Drivers, as frontline workers, are a motor carrier's first line of defense against poor safety data. It takes two years before one crash or one unfavorable roadside inspection is removed from the data used to calculate a company's Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) BASIC scores.
This whitepaper offers some practical tips for drivers on how to assist their company in lowering CSA BASIC scores. Checklists — tailored to fit the driver's role — are provided at the end of the document to promote discussion and offer some basic recordkeeping reminders.
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Surviving an FMCSA Audit
When a motor carrier is notified that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is scheduling an investigation or compliance review, also known as an audit, employees and management at the company may be left bewildered on what to expect.
This whitepaper offers a glimpse into the auditing process, including the different types of investigations, areas of focus, potential fines, and top auditing violations for 2018.
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The Importance of Brakes: Key Components, Inspection and Maintenance
From September 16 to 22, 2018, many states will participate in the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's (CVSA) "Brake Safety Week," when commercial vehicle inspectors will be inspecting brakes to verify compliance. Along with doing that, they will be informing operators about the importance of proper brake maintenance.
Download this free brake safety whitepaper to learn how to keep your brakes well maintained and functioning properly. It covers important topics like:
- The compressor, governor and air dryer
- ‘Parallel’ systems
- The slack adjuster
- Heat
- Readjustment limits
- And more
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Top 5 Common FMLA Missteps
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is often cited as one of the most challenging laws employers face, and errors can be costly. In 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor recovered almost $2 million in back wages under the FMLA.
While few people have time to study the pages of FMLA statutes, regulations, opinion letters and court cases, everyone can learn key best practices by examining common missteps in the FMLA process.
This whitepaper covers five of the most common missteps, including:
- Not recognizing leave requests
- Not providing timely notices to employees
- Not determining what constitutes a serious health condition
- And more
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Top Five Ways to Avoid Discrimination Claims
With 76,418 charges of discrimination filed with the EEOC in 2018 (each with the potential to cost companies thousands of dollars), organizations have considerable motivation to limit their exposure to such claims.
This whitepaper explains why preventing discrimination isn't always a simple task and provides employers five specific strategies to help them limit the risk of a claim.
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Transportation 101: Implementing an Effective Safety Program
The FMCSRs are the federal regulations that set safety and operational standards for companies and individuals operating trucks, vans, buses, and other CMVs involved in interstate commerce.
These regulations require every employer to be knowledgeable of and comply with the FMCSRs. They also require every driver and employee to be instructed regarding, and to comply with, all applicable regulations.
This whitepaper talks about where this knowledge begins.
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Walking-Working Surfaces: OSHA Takes Major Steps to Overhaul Slips, Trips, and Falls Standard
For years, general industry employers have sought to prevent slips, trips and falls in their workplaces. Unfortunately, Subpart D, "Walking-Working Surfaces," has provided little in the way of clear, concise requirements. This has changed, however, with the finalization of a new rule on November 18, 2016, that took major steps in overhauling the existing standard.
This whitepaper summarizes the new Walking-Working Surfaces requirements, including:
- Fall protection
- Training
- Personal protective equipment
- Critical compliance dates
- And more!
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What to Expect During Roadcheck 2020
Roadcheck, the intensive annual roadside inspection effort, which takes place throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico, is your best opportunity for making a positive impact quickly on your Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) data. The special emphasis area at this year's Roadcheck is driver requirements. This whitepaper provides critical information to help prepare your drivers for Roadcheck 2020.
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