Foul Weather Driving



                       A SAFETY TALK FOR

                      DISCUSSION LEADERS



This safety talk is designed for discussion leaders to use in preparing safety

meetings.



Set a specific time and date for your safety meeting.  Publicize your meeting

so everyone involved will be sure to attend.



Review this safety talk before the meeting and become familiar with its

content. Make notes about the points made in this talk that pertain to your

workplace.  You should be able to present the material in your own words and

lead the discussion without reading it.



Seating space is not absolutely necessary, but arrangements should be made so

that those attending can easily see and hear the presentation.



Collect whatever materials and props you will need ahead of time.  Try to use

equipment in your workplace to demonstrate your points.





                      DURING THE MEETING



Give the safety talk in your own words.  Use the printed talk merely as a

guide.



The purpose of a safety meeting is to initiate discussion of safety problems

and provide solutions to those problems.  Encourage employees to discuss

hazards or potential hazards the encounter on the job. Ask them to suggest ways

to improve safety in their area.



Don't let the meeting turn into a gripe session about unrelated topics.  As

discussion leader, its your job to make sure the topic is safety.  Discussing

other topics wastes time and can ruin the effectiveness of your safety meeting.



At the end of the meeting, ask employees to sign a sheet on the back of this

talk as a record that they attended the safety meeting.  Keep this talk on file

for your records.







Foul Weather Driving



Bad weather affects all roads. Our interstate system is a marvelous example of

modern engineering, but no matter how good the road is, it is dangerous when

there is sleet, snow or ice on the roadway. Speed must be reduced on slippery

roads.



When road conditions are slippery, drivers must look farther ahead so they can

anticipate emergencies and avoid the need for sudden maneuvers. Most skids are

caused by last-second stops and turns on slippery pavements.



Extra care must be taken on hills. Brake over the top of blind hills at a speed

that will permit you to bring your vehicle to a stop in case the highway isn't

clear ahead. On a downgrade, both loss of traction and gravity are working

against you.



Don't attempt to drive around or through a scene where other vehicles have

obviously had trouble with the road conditions. The same conditions that caused

their trouble may still be there when you arrive. When there is no room to get

through, you must be prepared to stop.



During the winter months, snow- and ice-covered truck lots are prevalent in all

parts of Ohio. Good drivers will allow more clearance between their vehicles

and other vehicles and fixed objects when maneuvering on bad surfaces. A pile

of snow or an ice rut may throw vehicles off just enough to cause them to

strike a stationary object, if not enough clearance has been allowed.



Drivers of vehicles with air brakes must take care to protect their air supply

in freezing weather. Brake line freeze can be annoying and dangerous. Many

newer trucks are equipped with synthetic air lines, so the old solution of

melting the ice with a fusee or torch is no longer a quick solution. If the

vehicle is not equipped with an air dryer or other means of automatically

expelling water and other contaminants from the air tanks, the driver must take

the time to manually drain the air tanks every day.



The lighting systems of vehicles become especially important during the winter

months. Nights are longer and visibility is often reduced by bad weather.

Electrical systems are winter-sensitive. Approximately 80 percent of all light

bulb failure is due to environmental reasons. Drivers must inspect their lights

more often during the winter and clean them when necessary so they can see and

be seen by other highway users.



Foul weather driving is much more strenuous. Drivers need proper rest before

every trip, and while in route, fresh air helps keep drivers alert. An open

window is an old safety practice, and it helps drivers hear what is going on

around their vehicles.



After all precautions are taken and good practices are followed there still

will be occasions when conditions become too hazardous to proceed. Good drivers

will pull off the road at the first safe place, notify their companies of the

delay and wait until conditions improve before continuing.


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