The pandemic has brought many changes. Some of them may linger well after the pandemic ends.

We will eventually see an end to the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the virus may be here to stay unless we can eliminate it by vaccinating every human on the planet, which is unlikely. If we’re very lucky, it will peter out on its own; the only human disease that we’ve been able to wipe out is smallpox. So don’t expect to see the end of this particular coronavirus. It’s possible there will be precautions we will always have to take, such as getting a regular booster shot (like a flu shot).

The pandemic has been difficult for all occupations, including professional drivers. Trucking companies saw revenues fall by 23%, suppliers and service providers saw a 39% drop, motor coach companies took a hit of 97%. Optimists are looking at the post-pandemic period as one of prosperity, much like the 1920s economic recovery after the end of the First World War and the end of the H1N1 flu pandemic of 1918-1920 (aka Spanish Flu). Trucking will play an important role in that recovery; analysts predict a strong environment for commercial transportation beyond 2021.

Workforce
According to Trucking HR, in 2019 the trucking and logistics sector employed 650,000 workers—4% of Canada’s workforce. Drivers made up 46% of that workforce. Statistics Canada’s Job Vacancy and Wage Survey reported that the truck transportation industry had an average job vacancy rate of 6.8% in 2019, more than twice the national average of 3.3%. The demand for trucking increased in the middle of 2020 as people turned more and more to online shopping for everything, although supply chain issues caused problems. If that momentum continues, the trucking industry will need more drivers. However, that is a challenge right now; older drivers are retiring and young people hesitate to enter the field.

Paperwork
There will always be paperwork. The pandemic caused changes in the way forms and paper are handled everywhere. The uncertainty about whether the virus could be transmitted on surfaces meant digitizing paper and sharing it electronically. That change makes sense and should be here to stay, especially when combined with freight-tracking technology, which supports locating and reallocating assets and provides enhanced real-time visibility of trucks and freight.

All That Cleaning
The uncertainty of what we were dealing with led to workplace assessments, physical distancing, and strict hygiene guidelines that included lots of handwashing and sanitizing vehicles to prevent surface transmission of the virus. We may have gone a bit overboard on that, but it did keep the seasonal flu away. As researchers studied the SARS-CoV-2 virus, they learned that it is not transmitted on surfaces, which the Centers for Disease Control announced on April 5, 2021. Rather, it is an airborne virus; people catch it through exposure to respiratory droplets containing the virus. As we move forward, we can hope that the time-consuming tasks of sanitizing everything we contact in the course of a day can end, but it it’s still a good idea to wash your hands often along with things you touch often, such as doorknobs and steering wheels, to avoid cold and flu viruses.

Deal with Anxiety
Will we face another pandemic? No one can say for sure, but pandemics have happened throughout human history. We learn from them—the rapid development of an effective vaccine against COVID-19 has been nothing short of miraculous. It’s important not to let anxiety about the future affect your mental health. Take precautions, including getting vaccinated. Stay informed with reliable sources, Talk about what you feel with someone you trust.

Determining workplace status

Our Policy, Regulation and Research Division is releasing a discussion paper on determining workplace status with options and draft policy to stakeholders for comment.

“Workplace status” refers to whether someone is an employer, worker, or independent operator. A person’s status defines the rights and responsibilities the person has under the Workers Compensation Act, including compulsory coverage for workers, and obligations of employers to pay assessments into the accident fund.

At issue are changes to WorkSafeBC’s workplace status policies to ensure the policies remain up to date. Changes are necessary to align policy with the Workers Compensation Act and the common law, and to enable WorkSafeBC to make decisions which reflect the changing nature of work in British Columbia.

The discussion paper, with options and draft policy, as well as information on how to provide feedback, can be found here:

Proposed policy amendments on determining workplace status

You’re invited to provide feedback on the options until 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 15, 2021. WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors will consider stakeholder feedback before making a decision on the proposed policy amendments.

Policy, Regulation and Research Division
WorkSafeBC

The out-of-service rate for this year’s unannounced Brake Safety Day, conducted July 19 across North America, showed a nearly 4% improvement over 2019 (the last year there was a inspection blitz).

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance reports 1,273 trucks were sidelined because of brake-related critical vehicle inspection items this year compared to 1,667 trucks in 2019.

This year, CVSA conducted 10,091 inspections across Canada (946, 11.4% out-of-service), Mexico (487, 2.9% OOS) and the U.S (8,658, 13.3% OOS), resulting in a North American out-of-service rate of 12.6%. Last year’s overall OOS rate was 16.1%.

Fourteen vehicles were removed from roadways in Mexico for brake violations. In Canada, 108 vehicles were placed out-of-service for brake violations, and in the U.S., 1,151 vehicles were sidelined due to brake violations.

“Inspectors conducted their usual inspections and reported brake-related data to CVSA for Brake Safety Day,” said CVSA President and Delware State Police Sgt. John Samis in a press release. “We are sharing the results to call attention to the importance of commercial motor vehicle brake safety.”

CVSA places a high priority on brake system function and condition because they are critical to vehicle safety. Despite that focus, brake-related violations continue to dominate vehicle out-of-service conditions. Brake system violations was the top vehicle out-of-service category during last year’s three-day International Roadcheck commercial motor vehicle and driver inspection and enforcement safety initiative.

Brake system violations at Roadcheck 2020 were 3,163 vehicles out of 12,254 inspections, or 25.8%.

Inspectors Focus on Brake Hoses, Tubing
Inspectors compiled and reported data specifically on chaffed or damaged brake hoses and tubing this year. Broken out by country: Canada reported 251 chafing violations, Mexico reported 186 and the U.S. reported 1,288 — with is roughly proportionate to each jurisdiction’s overall number of inspections and overall vehicle populations.

• •  Inspection data revealed a total of 664 (38%) Category 1 violations, defined as brake hose/tubing wear that had extended into the outer protective material. This is not an out-of-service condition.
  • There were 509 (30%) Category 2 violations, meaning wear had extended through the brake hose/tubing outer protective material into the outer rubber cover. Category 2 violations are not out-of-service conditions.
  • Inspectors saw 275 (16%) Category 3 violations, where the wear makes the reinforcement ply visible, but the ply is still intact. This is not an out-of-service condition.
  • A category 4 violation is when the reinforcement ply is visible and the ply is completely frayed, severed, or cut through. Inspectors recorded 169 (10%) such violations. Vehicles with Category 4 chafed hose conditions were placed out of service.
  • Brake hose/tubing wear for Category 5 violations is when wear extends through the reinforcement ply to the inner rubber layer. Such violations accounted for 108 (6%) of the trucks inspected. A Category 5 violation is an out-of-service condition.

“Brake hoses and tubing are essential brake system components and must be properly attached, undamaged, without leaks and flexible,” Samis said. “We chose to focus on brake hoses/tubing this year in an effort to reduce deaths and injuries as a result of commercial motor vehicle brake-system failures from pressure or vacuum loss due to brake hose/tubing deficiencies.”

Performance-Based Brake Testers
Some jurisdictions in the U.S. use performance-based brake testers (PBBT) as part of their vehicle inspection process. A PBBT is a machine that assesses the braking performance of a vehicle. On Brake Safety Day, 68 PBBT tests were conducted. Four percent (about three vehicles) of PBBT-tested commercial motor vehicles were placed out of service for insufficient brake performance.

Brake Safety Day is the Alliance’s unannounced brake safety initiative; however, CVSA also holds Brake Safety Week each year and announces those dates publicly well in advance. This year’s Brake Safety Week is scheduled for Aug. 22-28.

Langley, B.C.:  The BC Trucking Association (BCTA), in partnership with the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure proudly announces the third offering of the CleanBC Heavy-duty Vehicle Efficiency (HDVE) Program. The HDVE Program is a key component of the Province’s efforts to support its legislated targets for significantly reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the next 30 years. By providing carriers with fuel management strategies and incentives of up to 50 percent for approved fuel-efficiency devices, participation in the program significantly reduces fuel consumption and associated GHG emissions by up to 35 percent.  Since the program launched in 2019, BCTA estimates the impact of the HDVE Program to have removed the equivalent of 8,808 passenger vehicles across North America.  The Province of British Columbia has committed $1.4 million to Year-three of the Program that will run from July 21, 2021, to March 31, 2022, or until the funds are fully allocated, whichever comes first.

“The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is pleased to partner with the BC Trucking Association to support the transition toward a cleaner, more sustainable trucking sector,” said Rob Fleming, Minister for Transportation and Infrastructure. “The CleanBC Heavy-duty Efficiency Program is helping to combat climate change and enabling B.C. carriers to save money by using less fuel. By joining forces, we’re leveraging BCTA’s expertise to administer the program and its many benefits to B.C.’s trucking industry.”

The interest the program has received over the past two years has grown exponentially and Dave Earle, BCTA President and CEO, expects that Year-three will continue to see the same trend.

“The trucking industry has risen to meet the challenge of mitigating the impact of greenhouse gas emissions, and we’ve only just begun,” said Earle.  “The CleanBC Heavy-duty Efficiency Program is so successful because it gives B.C. carriers an immediate and effective incentive to lessen their carbon footprint.  BCTA is privileged to align with the Province for the third year in a row to enable our industry to take an active role in reducing emissions.”

Key Features

The HDVE Program Guide offers detailed information about the incentive program.

Key features include:

• A free, half-day CleanBC HDVE Program Course that teaches participants how to develop a Fuel Management Program for a fleet of any size.  Course registration opens July 21, 2021.
• Incentive amounts of up to $15,000 per vehicle and up to $100,000 per fleet for purchase and installation of approved fuel-saving equipment and technology.  See the full list of approved equipment and fuel-efficient driver training here.
• Funding allocated equitably among successful applicants by region, and carrier type and size.

Priority funding allocation for Year-three will be given to new applicants. Applications will be accepted from new applicants beginning August 9, 2021, and from all applicants beginning September 13, 2021.

BCTA is working in collaboration with Indigenous businesses and communities to encourage program participation.

Eligibility

To be eligible for program incentives, BCTA membership is not required.  Companies must meet the full eligibility criteria that are available in the HDVE Program Guide, including:

• Must have one or more heavy-duty commercial vehicles in their fleet with a gross vehicle weight greater than 11,794 kilograms.
• Vehicle must be licensed and insured to operate in B.C.
• Must conduct business in the province with a terminal located in B.C.

Applicants must also successfully complete the free, pre-requisite CleanBC HDVE Program Course that describes the benefits of using different fuel-saving technologies and practices. This half-day course, which is offered by webinar and in-person, teaches participants how to develop a Fuel-Management Program for any size fleet, incorporating measures to improve fuel economy. The course also demonstrates how to develop a baseline of fuel consumption and track progress as part of the company’s program. Registration for the CleanBC HDVE Program Course opens July 21, 2021.

How to Apply

The application process for the HDVE Program is broken down into three stages:

• Stage 1: July 21- Registration opens for the free, pre-requisite CleanBC HDVE Program Course
• Stage 2: August 9- Applications open for new applicants
• Stage 3: September 13- Applications open for all applicants

Program Course registration information and application details can be found on the BCTA website.

More information

For more information on CleanBC, please visit cleanbc.gov.bc.ca.

For more information on the CleanBC HDVE Program, please contact Cory Paterson, BCTA Vice President at 604-888-5319 or CoryP@BCTrucking.com.

This year’s Operation Safe Driver Week will take place July 11-17 with an emphasis on speeding.

During Operation Safe Driver Week, law enforcement personnel will be on the lookout for commercial motor vehicle drivers and passenger vehicle drivers engaging in risky driving behaviors in or around a commercial motor vehicle. Identified unsafe drivers will be pulled over and issued a citation or warning.

“Data shows that traffic stops and interactions with law enforcement help reduce problematic driving behaviors,” said Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) President Sgt. John Samis with the Delaware State Police. “By making contact with drivers during Operation Safe Driver Week, law enforcement personnel aim to make our roadways safer by targeting high-risk driving behaviors.”

CVSA selected speeding as its focus this year because despite a drop in roadway travel last year due to the pandemic, nationally, traffic fatalities increased. According to the National Safety Council’s (NSC) preliminary estimates, the estimated rate of death on roads last year increased 24% over the previous 12-month period, despite miles driven dropping 13%. The increase in the rate of death is the highest estimated year-over-year jump NSC has calculated in 96 years.

In addition to speeding, law enforcement personnel will be tracking other dangerous driver behaviors throughout Operation Safe Driver Week, such as reckless or aggressive driving, distracted driving, following too closely, improper lane change, failure to obey traffic control devices, failure to use a seat belt, evidence of drunk or drugged driving, etc.

CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Program was created to help to reduce the number of crashes involving commercial motor vehicles and passenger vehicles due to unsafe driving behaviors. Operation Safe Driver Week is sponsored by CVSA, in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and with support from the motor carrier industry and transportation safety organizations. This initiative aims to improve the behavior of all drivers operating in an unsafe manner – either in or around commercial motor vehicles – through educational and traffic enforcement strategies.

To find out about Operation Safe Driver Week enforcement events in your area, contact the agency or department responsible for overseeing commercial motor vehicle safety in your area.

COVID-19 Sick Leave Reimbursement Application: Action Requested

In the early months of the pandemic, it was discovered that COVID-19 outbreaks in workplaces were largely due to workers facing pressure to come in sick because they would not be paid to stay home.
To reduce the transmission of COVID-19, new legislation was recently introduced that allows BC workers to take up to three days of paid sick time for reasons related to COVID-19.

These reasons include:
• Being diagnosed with the illness
• Waiting for test results
• Self-isolating
• And following a public health order

As of May 20, 2021, employers are required to pay workers their full wages if a COVID-19 sick day is needed. If an employer does not currently have a paid sick-leave program in place, they will be reimbursed by the Province up to $200 per day for each worker.
The reimbursement program is available for sick leave taken from May 20, 2021, until the program ends on December 31, 2021. If you are an employer, you may be eligible to benefit from this program.
Get your application started today by following the simple instructions below.

How to apply

The BC Government’s COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Reimbursement Program is being administered through WorkSafeBC, and the application is now available on their online-services portal. In order to apply for the reimbursement, employers must:
• Be registered for WorkSafeBC insurance coverage
• Have signed up for WorkSafeBC’s online services
• Not have an existing paid sick-leave program

Watch this short video for instructions on how to sign up for WorkSafeBC’s online services, or visit their website.

For more information about the program, visit the BC Government’s COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Reimbursement Program web page.

Between Aug. 22 and Aug. 28, commercial motor vehicle inspectors will emphasize the importance of brake systems by conducting inspections and removing commercial motor vehicles found to have brake-related out-of-service violations from the roadways.

Throughout Brake Safety Week, inspectors will conduct North American Standard Inspections of commercial motor vehicles, focusing on the vehicle’s brake systems and components. In addition, inspectors will compile data on brake hoses/tubing, the focus area for this year’s Brake Safety Week, to submit to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

Many motor carriers work to educate their drivers and maintenance service providers on the importance of brake system safety ahead of the enforcement campaign.

Jurisdictions devote a week to conducting commercial motor vehicle inspections, identifying brake violations and removing vehicles with out-of-service brake violations because:

– Brake system and brake adjustment violations accounted for more vehicle violations than any other vehicle violation category, accounting for 38.6% of all vehicle out-of-service conditions, during last year’s three-day International Roadcheck inspection and enforcement initiative.
– “Brake system” was the third most cited vehicle-related factor in fatal commercial motor vehicle and passenger vehicle crashes, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s latest “Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts” report.
– Brake-related violations accounted for eight out of the top 20 vehicle violations in 2020, according to FMCSA’s Motor Carrier Management Information System.
– During last year’s Brake Safety Week, 12% of the 43,565 commercial motor vehicles inspected were placed out of service for brake-related violations.

The dates for Brake Safety Week are shared in advance to remind motor carriers, drivers and commercial motor vehicle mechanics/technicians to proactively check and service their vehicles to ensure every commercial motor vehicle traveling on our roadways is safe, mechanically fit and compliant. Recent research has shown that announcing enforcement campaigns ahead of time improves overall compliance better than surprise enforcement campaigns and for longer periods after the event, CVSA officials said in a press release.

August, the month of CVSA’s Brake Safety Week, is also Brake Safety Awareness Month. Law enforcement agencies will work to educate commercial motor vehicle drivers, motor carriers, technicians, owner-operators and others on the importance of proper brake maintenance, operation and performance through outreach, education and awareness campaigns.

Over the last 10 years, 12 roadside workers died and 207 were injured

The BC Cone Zone campaign, now in its 11th year, sets out to remind drivers, employers, and workers to do their part to prevent injuries and deaths of roadside workers.

Roadside work is a dangerous job. Between 2011 and 2020, 12 roadside workers were killed and 207 were injured in B.C. Last year, 23 workers were injured because of being hit by a motor vehicle.

The risks to roadside workers are more prevalent in the summer months as roadside work increases at this time of year and traffic levels typically rise.

The campaign reminds drivers to slow down when approaching a Cone Zone and to pay attention to instructions from traffic control persons, temporary road signs, and traffic control devices.

In addition, under the “Slow Down, Move Over” law, drivers should be prepared to reduce speed and if safe to do so, move over to an open lane when approaching a vehicle with flashing amber, red, or blue lights (tow, fire, police, ambulance).

As part of the campaign, a traffic enforcement blitz will occur at roadside work zones where police will be ticketing drivers for unsafe behaviours. Tickets will be issued for violations, such as speeding, disobeying a flag person, or using an electronic device while driving.

Cone Zones are work areas set up by roadside workers to protect themselves and the driving public. Road-maintenance crews, tow truck operators, first responders, municipal workers, traffic control persons, construction crews, and other roadside workers all depend on drivers to respect the Cone Zone to keep their workplaces safe.

Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure the health and safety of their workers and contractors along BC’s roads and highways, including:

• Ensuring their workers understand the hazards related to working at the roadside.
• Providing their workers with training, equipment, supervision and resources to help keep them safe.

Roadside workers can work safely by:

• Knowing how to identify hazards and assess risks.
• Following safe work procedures, including work zone set-up and take-down.
• Wearing appropriate high-visibility clothing and other PPE.
• Reporting unsafe work conditions to their supervisor.

Major provincial projects scheduled and underway during the 2021 summer include:
• Highway 1 Lower Lynn Improvements
• Highway 91/17 Upgrade Project

Quotes:

Harry Bains, Minister of Labour:
“It’s important that workers are safe on the job, and in fact it’s their lawful right. In addition to the hazards of roadwork, flaggers and other people who work in Cone Zones face additional risks from passing vehicles. I ask all drivers to do their part and slow down so these workers remain safe and return home healthy at the end of their shifts.”

Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure:
“It’s a busy time for road maintenance and we’re reminding drivers to slow down and drive with care. Using caution while passing through a job site will help keep our traffic controllers and construction workers safe while they do their job. Campaigns like this are great reminders to respect the Cone Zone, for everyone’s safety.”

Louise Yako, Program Director Road Safety At Work:
“One of the greatest risks to a roadside worker is a motor vehicle being driven through their workplace. Dangerous driving behaviour like speeding and distracted driving puts these workers at risk of injury and death.”

“The Cone Zone campaign is a joint provincial initiative supported by the Work Zone Safety Alliance of organizations committed to improving the safety of roadside workers. Until the number of fatalities and injuries is zero, we will continue to take action to protect roadside workers. We ask all drivers, and roadside employers and workers to do the same.”

Al Johnson, Head of Prevention Services at WorkSafeBC:
“Roadside work is a dangerous job—and spring and summer are the busiest times of the year for these workers. Drivers must remember to reduce their speed, pay attention, and be respectful of the roadside workers and their workplace, so these women and men can go home safely to their families at the end of the day.”

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Resources and Statistics:
Employers and workers can also access online tools, campaign resources, and materials at www.ConeZoneBC.com and www.worksafebc.com/conezone.
For additional statistics, access this infographic on Tableau.

About the Cone Zone Campaign
The Cone Zone campaign, supported by the Work Zone Safety Alliance, aims to reduce the number of deaths and injuries to roadside workers by increasing awareness of the vulnerability of these workers and encouraging drivers to practise safe driving behaviour in the Cone Zone.

About the Work Zone Safety Alliance
The Cone Zone campaign is a joint provincial initiative supported by organizations committed to improving the safety of roadside workers. They are Ambulance Paramedics of B.C., Automotive Retailers Association, BCAA, BC Construction Safety Alliance, BC Flagging Association, BC Landscape and Nursery Association, BC Municipal Safety Association, BC Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association, BC Road Safe, CoreCode Safety and Compliance, Government of BC, IBEW Local 258, Insurance Corporation of BC, K&K Consulting, Justice Institute of British Columbia, LiUNA Local 1611, Mainroad Group, RCMP, Road Safety at Work, SafetyDriven, Telus, The Universal Group, and WorkSafeBC.

About Road Safety At Work
Road Safety At Work is a WorkSafeBC-funded initiative managed by the Justice Institute of BC aimed at eliminating work-related motor vehicle crashes, deaths, and injuries in British Columbia. Road Safety At Work offers free online resources and courses — as well as workshops, webinars, and consulting services — to help organizations plan, implement and monitor effective road safety programs.

Media contact:
Anita Deiter, Cone Zone Campaign Manager
Tel: 604-786-9566
anita.deiter@roadsafetyatwork.ca

2021 SafetyDriven Board Vacancy Notice

SafetyDriven – Trucking Safety Council of BC is currently accepting applications to serve on the Board of Directors.

We are a not-for-profit organization that focuses on promoting occupational health and safety in trucking and related industries (transportation, supply chain logistics and waste management) by providing programs and services that can lead to a reduction in injury and fatality rates. For more information about SafetyDriven, including our annual reports, strategic plans and governance materials, please visit our website.

Current Vacancy
The SafetyDriven Board of Directors is comprised of leaders who represent all aspects of both the trucking and moving and storage industries. Our board members champion safety operations improvement and have a strong commitment to SafetyDriven’s mission and vision.
We are seeking new members with a variety of skill sets, including individuals who are passionate about workplace and vehicle safety and have governance or management experience to complement the existing expertise of the board. Applications from candidates that are currently employed by a company within WorkSafeBC Classification Units of General Trucking (CU 732019) or Moving & Storage (CU 732030), or in other related industries are welcome.

Successful candidates will serve on the board for a two-year term commencing on June 24, 2021 SafetyDriven’s Annual General Meeting. Attendance is required at regularly scheduled board meetings. A minimum of four meetings are scheduled every year and are held on-site in the Fraser Valley or virtually when required. For more information on becoming a board member, please read our Governance and Terms of Reference.

How to Apply
If you would like to join us in our vision to eliminate workplace injuries and fatalities in BC’s trucking, transportation and related industries, please apply online.

Submission deadline is May 28, 2021.