Transportation News, Volume 25, Number 9, May 2000 Page: 13
16 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 41 x 29 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
'Tansportation News
News You Can Use
I
F
SAFETY TIPS
Beware the 'switcher
flicker'
While traveling alongany
stretch of highway, you can
observe any number of traits,
both good and bad, that classify
drivers. These traits include the
"flicker-switcher" or the
"switcher-flicker."
The flicker-switcher flicks
his turn signal before he
changes lanes. Since this type
of driver communicates his
intention in advance, you can
also bet that he also takes a
visual check before making the
lane switch. By thinking, look-
ing, and signaling in advance of
the maneuver, he is protecting
himself and other travelers on
the road. Long live the flicker-
switcher, and may his tribe
increase!
In contrast, the switcher-
flicker begins to switch lanes
first and then flicks on his turn
signal. He flicks from blind
habit with no conscious
thought about the importance
of advance warning. Chances
are he switches and flicks
mechanically without a glance
at his rearview mirror and over
his left shoulder to check the
blind spot to the side and rear.
The left wheels of the
switcher-flicker have often trav-
eled over the border before they
have signaled the news that he
is entering new territory. That's
why the too-ate "flick" is some-
times followed by a startled
"whoops!" punctuated by the
costly crunch of metal. Down
with the switcher-flicker, and
may his tribe decrease!
The winking signal of the
flicker-switcher is a true warn-
ing because is speaks in future
tense: "I'll turn soon; take
heed." The switcher-flicker
signal, however, speaks in the
present tense: "I'm turning" or
even in past tense: "I've turned."
To have any cautionary value, a
message must be communicated
in advance of the action con-
templated. Any later signal is
only a nonwarning.
You'll find other kinds of
signalers creating crises in our
traffic lanes: The "switcher-
nonflicker,"who gives no warn-
ing at all, and the always popu-
lar "flicker-no switcher" who
can fake you out for miles!
- OCC's "Safety Bulletin No.
10,"July 6, 1998.
Employee Assistance Program
(800) 479-9639123 DAYS OF SAFETY
0CC urges employees to take precautions during summer workBy Jerral Wyer
Occupational Safety Division
E ach year between the
months of May and
August, accidents and
injuries increase significantly.
Many of these accidents can be
attributed to the increase in
roadwork and the large number
of inexperienced summer
employees hired by TxDOT
All safety rules and procedures
that apply to regular employees
apply to summer hires, tempo-
raries, project employees and
anyone else who works for the
department. New employees
and summer hires are in a high-
risk group for injuries and acci-
dents because of their inexperi-
ence. It is the supervisor's
responsibility to ensure that a
safety orientation is provided,
including the completion of
Form 1746, Drivers' Orientation
and Evaluation Certification.
Summer safety meetings
Employees must be briefed on
safety procedures that apply to
their responsibilities in the work-
place. All employees must be
provided with and required to
use the appropriate personal pro-
tective equipment when and
where necessary.
Many district safety coordina-
tors offer a safety orientation
training session for new employ-
ees, including summer hires.
Safety meetings during the "123
Safe Days of Summer" campaign
are essential to the safety and
health of every TxDOT employ-
ee. Employees should be
reminded that highway mainte-
nance and construction work is
one of the most dangerous pro-
fessions anywhere. Roadway
work involves a partnership
between the traveling public and
TxDOT employees. Unfortun-
ately, we do not have control
over the public's driving habits,
alertness or attitude.
The Occupational Safety
Division recommends focusing
summer safety meetings on high
exposure areas, accident preven-
tion and past summer accidents
and injuries. Each morning,
construction supervisors, mainte-
nance supervisors and/or crew
leaders should conduct a five- to
10-minute safety review of the
activities planned for that day.
This meeting establishes the
game plan for reducing accidents
or injuries.
Full-time employees and sum-
mer hires should receive a copy0
c
v
coof the revised Handbook of Safe
Practices, which contains general
safety rules and procedures.
They should use the Manual on
Uniform Traffic Control Devices
(MUTCD) when planning and
setting up traffic control.
OCC yearly safety campaign
To further assist the districts,
divisions, special offices, and dis-
trict safety coordinators to elimi-
nate summer accidents and
injuries, the Occupational Safety
Division has developed a
Summer Accident/ Injury
Prevention Campaign, "123 Safe
Days of Summer." The campaign
will include, but will not be lim-
ited to, the following activities
and published information:
A safety bulletin will be
sent weekly to each safety coor-
dinator via GroupWise. They
may forward this information to
their supervisors or include it in
safety meetings. Information
will be covered from the safety
and hazardous materials sections.
Safe driving stickers will be
forwarded to each district.
These stickers should be placed
inside the vehicle as a reminder1997
1998
1999
1997
1998
1999to drive safely. "123 Safe Days of
Summer" campaign stickers will
be forwarded for employees to
place on hard hats.
The Occupational Safety News
will be provided to you on a
monthly basis from May to
August.
An accident reduction contest
for personal injuries and vehicle
accidents will be initiated. Every
district will have a reduction goal
to achieve during the month of
May through August. Every dis-
trict that meets its goal in one or
more categories will be recog-
nized at the 1999 APM
Conference in November. There
will be a special award for the
district with the greatest percent-
age reduction from its previous
three-year average rate for each
category.
The 1999 contest winners
were the Odessa District for
employee injuries reduction and
the Austin District for vehicle
collision reduction. *)
w
Vehicle and Injury
Claims for SummerAll Injuries
237244
214
Lost Time
97
01ZD 96
90UU1
Vehicle Collisions
1997
1998
Lost Work Days for Summer Inluries
Lost days as of April 11, 20001997
1998 =
199922222222222 CD
>> +
.. .......................... I ......................
.E
.. .. . . .. . . . . .. .. .-.
13
E .:.:
t
rso
May 2000
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas. Department of Transportation. Transportation News, Volume 25, Number 9, May 2000, periodical, May 2000; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth576386/m1/13/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.