EHS News

In conjunction with Drive Safely Work Week (October 4-8, 2010), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced an education campaign calling on employers to prevent work-related distracted driving, with a special focus on prohibiting texting while driving.

Part of OSHA's education outreach is a new Web page aimed at those whose workplaces are the cars, vans and trucks that deliver the goods and services on wh

From the WELCOA Workplace Wellness Update, 10/1/2010:

In the September 27, 2010 Federal Register, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) prohibits texting by commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers while operating in interstate commerce and imposes sanctions, including civil penalties and disqualification from operating CMVs in interstate commerce, for drivers who fail to comply with this rule. Additionally, motor carriers are prohibited from requiring or allowing their drivers to engage in texting while driving.

A September 21, 2010 National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) news release provides an update on the Models of Infectious Disease Agent Study (MIDAS), an on-going effort by a group of researchers to model how H1N1 and other infectious agents may spread. This update comes as public health officials in the US prepare for the upcoming flu season.

Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis announced a new OSHA initiative to discourage texting while driving on the job.  She made the announcement on September 21, 2010 at the second Distracted Driving Summit sponsored by the Department of Transportation and Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood.

According to the press release, OSHA is launching a multi-pronged initiative that includes:

The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation has announced the launch of Drive Safely Work Week 2010: Focus… Safe driving is serious business.

The 2010 DSWW tool kit can be downloaded FREE through September 20 via the NETS website at http://www.trafficsafety.org/dsww-materials.