safety

With forklift operational safety coming under ever-increasing scrutiny, RDS Technology has recently seen a high level of interest in the Speed and Distance 200 vehicle monitor.

The Speed and Distance 200 is a cost-effective and versatile instrument for logging occurrences of the vehicle travelling in excess of site speed restrictions. Normally powered through the vehicle ignition and therefore switched on at the same time the vehicle is, it works on an input signal from a magnetic sensor on the non-driven or transmission shaft. For driver warning it has a visual and an internal audible alarm to alert the driver to speed when the pre-set speed limit is exceeded - a further external alarm is optional. This gives forklift operators full information on their vehicle speed and allows them to operate safely within speed restrictions.

In the new book Safe By Accident, authors Judy Agnew and Aubrey Daniels argue that the solution to improving workplace safety lies not just in the latest engineering, physics, or chemistry advancements, but in the science of human behavior.

Based on decades of research and work with many global corporations, Agnew and Daniels reveal how many companies are “safe by accident” because they focus too heavily on lagging indicators, such as low incident rates. According to the authors, going a month, a year, or even several years without an incident is more likely a function of sheer luck than a predictor of a safe organization.

National Retail Systems Inc. (NRS), a provider of logistics services to U.S. retailers, pharmaceutical companies and consumer goods manufacturers, has launched a safety program to install the GreenRoad 360 driving decision support service in trucks throughout the United States. The program will start in the Northeast U.S. and expand across the country next year.

GreenRoad's patented technology measures G-forces impacting NRS trucks as they are driven on the road. It uses sensor-based technology to measure and analyze, in real-time, over 120 maneuvers in five categories: speed handling, cornering, lane handling, braking, and acceleration. The system also captures compound maneuvers, which combine multiple maneuver types and represent the greatest risk and cost to a fleet. The service also provides reports and analysis to drivers and fleet managers through a secure website to evaluate overall driving risk and skills.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is asking commercial food transporters to follow new guidance from the FDA to reduce the chances of physical, chemical, biological and other risks during transportation of foods while the agency reviews current food safety transportation regulations.

In an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) published in the Federal Register, the FDA has requested input on writing the new rules from all interested parties, including the food and transportation industries and consumer interest organizations. The ANPRM is the first step in creating new regulations to govern sanitary practices by shippers, carriers by motor vehicle or rail vehicle, receivers, and others engaged in the transportation of food products for people and animals.

The debate continues over proposed changes to the current hours of service (HOS) rules, first released in late December, with the comment period over March 4.

On Feb. 17, the FMSCA conducted a "listening" session, hearing hours of input from a variety of sources.

Our blogger David Schneider was there in Washington DC, and he says that "By far the loudest and most emotional voices in the listening session comments come from the safety advocates. Some of these organizations are founded and led by parents whose adult children were killed in truck related accidents. Other advocates come from traditional Washington DC based lobbying organizations.".

The applications of intelligent transport systems (ITS), ranging from freight management to in-vehicle navigation and road tolling technologies in Australia, have evolved from technical mysteries to productive networks contributing to the safety, security and productivity of the nation's transport infrastructure.

Intelligent Transport Systems Australia (ITS Australia) president Dr Norm Pidgeon said these technologies are not just talking maps stuck on the car's dashboard.

Safety, productivity and the environment were on the agenda when the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) held talks with the China Road Transport Association (CRTA) in Canberra recently.

The CRTA delegation visited Australia as part of its examination of best practice road transport policies around the world. It was led by CRTA vice-president and secretary-general, Ms Limei Wang, and included representatives from the CRTA, provincial transport associations and Chinese transport businesses.

Even the best forklift drivers have accidental collisions with racking. While worst-case scenarios involving a rack collapse are rare, impact damage weakens the racking structure, compromising its load carrying capacity and potentially putting both property and life at risk.

Designed and backed by Dematic, the Colby Protect-a-Rack can be fitted to just about every brand of drive-in or selective pallet racking.

Colby Protect-a-Rack is certified and patented and is claimed to outperform traditional steel and plastic rack protection systems. It does this through a design that ensures that impact forces are transferred into the rack at its strongest point i.e. the brace nodes.