WorldWide Drilling Resource

Bringing Awareness to Distracted Driving Compiled by Bonnie Love, Editor, WorldWide Drilling Resource ® No matter what part of the drilling indus- try your company is in, distracted driving can be an issue. Now is a good time to remind coworkers and employees to pay attention when driving - whether they are on the job or not. Distracted driving can be deadly to the average driver, but for those operating heavy equipment it’s even more dangerous. It’s interesting to note, although the number of workplace fatalities is lower, the leading cause of worker fatalities year after year is motor vehicle crashes, and distracted driv- ing considerably increases the risk of being in one of those crashes. In fact, the National Safety Council (NSC) stated distracted driving is as deadly as alcohol and speeding in fatal and serious injury crashes. In 2014, more than 3175 people were killed and more than 430,000 were injured in crashes involving distracted drivers. According to a 2017 NSC public opinion poll, 74% of people rated distracted drivers as a major concern for traffic safety. The Department of Labor, through the Occu pational Safety and HealthAdministration (OSHA), partnered with the Department of Transportat ion to combat this problem. Texting or talking on the phone while driving is a big NO . OSHA s uggests employers prohibit any work policy or practice which requires or encourages workers to text while driving. Texting while driving increas- es the risk of being injured or killed in an acc ident. Drivers should only use their phones for emergencies, or while on rest breaks, and t he vehicle should ALWAYS be parked some- where safely before using the phone. Hand s-free devices aren’t always the best answer as studies indicate it’s the conversation, not th e physical act of holding the phone, which contributes to accidents. You see, there are three main types of distractions - manual, v isual, and cognitive - and using a cell phone involves all three types of distraction: Manual - Hands are off the wheel Visual - Eyes are off the road Cognitive - Mind is off driving All workers are at risk of crashes, whether t hey drive light or heavy vehicles, and whether driving is a main or incidental part of their job. Therefore, employers should cons ider establishing a written policy restricting use of cell phones. Having a distracted driving policy in place doesn’t just make go od safety sense - it makes good business sense. Cell phones and texting aren’t the only way drivers become distracted. Distracted driving is actually defined as ANY activity which takes a driver's attention away from driving, such as: B Eating and drinking B Talking to passengers B Grooming B Reading, including maps B Using a navigation system B Reaching for a dropped object B Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player In the end, it is important to remember to keep your hands on the wheel, your eyes on the road, and your mind on driving. It is equally important to make sure your employ- ees are safe on the road and able to return home safely at the end of their shift. The NSC has a great cell phone policy kit filled with fliers, sample company policies, and a lot of other resources to helpyou implement a safe driver program. Visit http://safety.nsc.org/cellphonekit Image courtesy of distraction.gov 40 OCTOBER 2017 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® Congratulati ons to : Myrtle Booth, Booth Wel l Dr i l l ing Ho l l ister,, MO Winner for September! Time for a Little Fun! September Puzzle Solution: Geothermal Supply Company, Inc. Eastern Driller Manufacturing Company, Inc. Win a prize! Send your completed puzzle to: WWDR PO Box 660 Bonifay, FL 32425 or fax to: 850-547-0329 Can you identify which classified ads in this issue these came from?