Great West Casualty Company Blog

Sep 1, 2020 10:00:00 AM

Post-pandemic planning

By Great West Casualty Company

At the time of this writing, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is still with us. Stay-at-home orders are in place or are gradually being lifted, and the world is trying to figure out the safest way to return to whatever our new normal will be. COVID-19 caught everyone by surprise and forced us to respond in a trial-by-fire fashion. Many employers already had contingency plans in place that were adaptable to the pandemic, while others struggled to respond. Now, with some hindsight, it is increasingly evident why risk management is so important for motor carriers. The world may never see another crisis like this pandemic, but other events can certainly take its place. Here are some basic contingency planning ideas to consider.

Aug 17, 2020 1:45:00 PM

Are you ready for Brake Safety Week?

By Great West Casualty Company

Contributed by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Brake Safety Week is scheduled for August 23-29, 2020. Enforcement officials will inspect commercial motor vehicles throughout the week. Vehicles found to have critical out-of-service brake violations, or other critical vehicle out-of-service inspection item violations, will be restricted from traveling until those violations are corrected. Vehicles that pass eligible inspections may receive a password-inspection CVSA decal.

Jul 17, 2020 2:00:00 PM

FMCSA’s New Crash Preventability Determination Program

By Great West Casualty Company

Contributed by Dave Osiecki, Scopelitis Transportation Consulting LLC Since the inception of the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the trucking industry has been rightly concerned that its business partners would improperly use CSA scores to make business decisions. The scores, the trucking industry argued, were not an accurate depiction of a company’s safety posture.

Jul 15, 2020 10:00:00 AM

Interpersonal Skills

By Great West Casualty Company

Interpersonal skills (aka soft skills) are character traits and behaviors we exhibit when interacting with other people. From your attitude and body language to the words you say, everyone must effectively deal with others to do their jobs successfully. Below is a list of common interpersonal skills. Read this information and determine how you can improve your soft skills.

May 22, 2020 1:49:00 PM

Understanding the risks of obesity

By Great West Casualty Company

Obesity and being overweight are two common health risks facing truck drivers. Obesity means having too much body fat, while a person can be overweight due to too much muscle, bone, fat, and/or body water. If a person consumes more calories than he/ she burns, those extra calories are stored as fat. Over time, if life changes are not made, that excess body fat will continue to increase until a person reaches obesity. When that happens, there is an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, etc. The good news is that obesity is reversible in most cases, by eating and drinking smarter and increasing your physical activity. Consider the chart below and ask yourself where the majority of your daily calories are coming from.

Apr 28, 2020 11:00:00 AM

Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is a Game Changer

By Great West Casualty Company

Technology is quickly catching up to the trucking industry, and the FMCSA’s new Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is a game changer. On January 6, 2020, drug and alcohol violations for all CDL and CLP drivers began populating the Clearinghouse database, meaning motor carriers are now able to access these records in real-time by querying the Clearinghouse database. This capability is huge for employers, state licensing agencies, and law enforcement personnel because this real-time data makes it more difficult for drivers to conceal their drug and alcohol program violations.

Apr 3, 2020 10:00:00 AM

Combatting Substance Abuse

By Great West Casualty Company

Substance abuse involves more than taking illegal drugs. It also includes misusing alcohol, prescription medications, and other legal substances if too much is taken or in the wrong way. Unlike an addiction – which is a disease – individuals can stop abusing substances if they choose to before their unhealthy behavior becomes an addiction or causes serious health problems. Read the information below about commonly abused substances and the health risks each pose. If you feel you might have a substance abuse problem, seek assistance immediately.

Mar 26, 2020 1:15:00 PM

Focus on Mindfulness to Improve Driving

By Great West Casualty Company

With the advent of more and more technologies competing for our attention, it is becoming more difficult for humans to sift through a swarm of distractions and focus on those items that are worth paying attention to. For motor carriers, whose survival hinges on preventing crashes, driver distractions and inattention are not new. They are old enemies. Preaching to drivers to pay attention and focus on the road ahead is nothing new, yet preventable crashes still occur, leaving a motor carrier’s management team members scratching their heads in frustration. One solution, and arguably the solution to the distracted driving problem, is simple mindfulness.

Mar 16, 2020 5:13:11 PM

Ask Safety: Where Can I Get DOT Compliance Materials?

By Great West Casualty Company

Feb 25, 2020 2:45:00 PM

Employee Fatigue is a Risk That Can be Managed

By Great West Casualty Company

Sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and insomnia are just a few sleep disorders that affect all employees, not only truck drivers. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), fatigue is a factor in 13 percent of workplace injuries, and “43 percent of Americans admit they may be too tired to function safely at work.” For motor carriers, a great deal of emphasis is placed on driver fatigue – and rightly so – but fatigue-related crashes and injuries are just part of the risk. Fatigue affects cognitive performance (i.e., short-term memory loss, concentration, etc.), work performance (i.e. decreased productivity, errors, etc.), personal health (i.e., depression, obesity, cardiovascular disease, etc.), and carries financial consequences such as increased health care costs.

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