Idealease Safety Bulletin - Protecting your Driver and Truck during Extreme Cold Conditions

The first Idealease Safety Bulletin for 2022 has arrived! You can now read, share or download "Protecting your Driver and Truck during Extreme Cold Conditions", courtesy of Idealease Truck leasing and rental.  

Read on to access all the content for this week, view the entire bulletin on the main Idealease website, or click here to download the full PDF version.  Remember to sign up to have the weekly bulletin delivered straight to your inbox so you can view at your convenience! 

Remember to view past bulletins on the archive. 

In this issue:

• Protecting your Driver
• Protecting the Truck
• Preventing Driver Injuries in Fall and Winter
• New FMCSA Regulation Starts February 7th!

PROTECTING YOUR DRIVER

It is important to remind your drivers on how to protect themselves and their trucks when cold weather conditions strike! 

HYPOTHERMIA & ITS SYMPTOMS:

• occurs when body's temperature falls below normal
• EARLY/MILD SYMPTOMS: shivering, slurred speech, mental slowness, lethargy, muscle stiffness, clumsiness
• SEVERE SYMPTOMS: mental confusion, disorientation, stupor/coma, absence of shivering, stiff/rigid muscles, shallow and very slow breathing, weak pulse, fall in blood pressure

If symptoms are present, seek medical attention immediately

PREVENTING HYPOTHERMIA:

• Wear several layers of warm, loose-fitting clothes
• Keep body heat in with gloves and knit caps
• Change clothing if it becomes wet
• Make sure you have an emergency kit with a change of clothes, blanket, hand warmers and snacks in the event you become stranded
• Eat hot, nutritious meals and drink plenty of water
• Avoid alcohol 
• Ensure drivers have a way to communicate with you in the event of a breakdown in rural areas of operation

Keep in mind that some prescription drugs can enhance sensitivity to cold, so check with your physician or pharmacist to see if your medications fall within this category.  Frostbite can also become a problem, especially if the wind chill factor becomes low.  

FROSTBITE SYMPTOMS:

• Change in skin appearance
  • swelling
  • reddish, bluish, whitish coloring
  • numbness
  • stiffness
  • rigidity

If untreated, frostbite can lead to loss of frozen fingers, toes or affected skin areas

To prevent frostbite, avoid or protect skin from direct exposure to cold air and/or intense cold temperatures.  

PROTECTING YOUR TRUCK IN COLD TEMPERATURES

Follow these tips for protection to your commercial motor vehicle when the temperatures drop

1.  When temperatures drop below 32 degrees F, diesel supplement should be added to the ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel
2.  Engine block heaters (if equipped) should be plugged in whenever the temperature is below 32 degrees.  Trucks that are not utilized should be started and let run everyday to bring the unit up to normal operating temperature. 
3. Initial start up procedure as follows:
   1.  Complete pre-trip inspection of unit, 
   2.  Unplug block heater, 
   3.  Turn ignition switch on and wait for dash lights to stop cycling,
   4.  Start the engine, 
   5.  Leave engine running until engine operating temperature increases
4.  Purge air tanks daily (if trucks are equipped with air brakes). If unit is equipped with an air dryer, bringing the PSI to 120 will automatically purge the system.  
5.  If you are driving in the elements - snow, slush, rain, ice, etc, lightly apply the brakes while the unit is moving to help dry the brake shoes, drums, rotors and pads prior to parking the unit so that the brakes do not freeze. 
6.  Make sure windshield washer solvent is full and windows are clean.
7.  Remove any snow or ice build-up from steps and grab handles to prevent a slip or fall. 
8.  Always use the 3-point method of entering and exiting the cab.
9.  If heavy snow is forecasted, do not park a unit in an outside dock or near a building overhang. Snow drifts from buildings can cause excessive accumulation on the top or the truck or trailer and can increase likelihood of roof collapse.  

PREVENTING DRIVER INJURIES IN WINTER

Slip/Trip and Fall injuries are the most common type of injuries for drivers, with most occurring during the winter months.  It is important to remind your drivers that working in the ice and snow requires their full attention and awareness to help prevent injury. 

Here are a few tips and reminders:

• Always wear proper footwear
  • Full support leather shoe with a rugged non-slip sole
  • Use non-slip  shoe covers if needed (yak trax, etc)
• Don't hurry! Slow down! 
• Watch where you walk - remember snow can accumulate on top of ice so tread carefully
• Take small steps
• Look for ice on handrails and hand grabs
• Always use gloves for a better grip
• Always use three points of contact when exiting or entering your tractor or trailer
• Always wear your seatbelt

New FMCSA Regulation Starts February 7th!

Entry-Level Driver Training Rule goes into effect on February 7, 2022.

FAQs

Compliance Materials for training providers, motor carriers, and drivers

The Entry-Level Driver Training regulations establish new federal minimum training standards for entry-level drivers; this includes individuals applying for:

Beginning February 7, 2022, drivers must have completed the required entry-level driver training from a provider registered with FMCSA before taking CDL skills or knowledge test to obtain one of the licenses or endorsements listed above. 

Only drivers who obtain a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) on or after the February 7, 2022 compliance date are subject to ELDT regulations for obtaining a CDL. Drivers who currently hold a CLP may obtain a CDL without completing entry-level training, as long as they obtain their CDL before their CLP, or renewed CLP expires. Current CDL holders who apply for a new S, P, or H endorsement on or after February 7, 2022, are subject to ELDT requirements for those endorsements.  The ELDT requirements for obtaining the S, P, or H endorsements also apply to drivers who obtain their CLP or CDL after February 7, 2022. 

Drivers seeking to obtain a Class A or Class B CDL or an S, P, or H endorsement must select a training provider from the public list on the Training Provider Registry website.

*The Idealease Safety Bulletin is provided for Idealease locations and their customers and is not to be construed as a complete or exhaustive source of compliance or safety information. The Idealease Safety Bulletin is advisory in nature and does not warrant, guarantee, or otherwise certify compliance with laws, regulations, requirements, or guidelines of any local, state, or Federal agency and/or governing body, or industry standards.