Thomas J. Bukowski

Can safety culture be regulated? The National Transportation Safety Board recently hosted a forum to discuss what – if any – role the government can play in influencing a positive safety culture in the transportation industry.

After a prolonged legal battle, new limits on truck driver hours of service are now in effect. But some industry stakeholders, labor unions and transportation safety advocates continue to disagree on whether the new regulations will increase driver safety and health and how the trucking industry will be affected.

To help truck drivers be physically and mentally prepared for the demands of their jobs, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration mandates a minimum number of hours drivers must sleep on days they drive. What these regulations cannot take into account, however, is whether drivers who have a sleeping disorder have actually achieved restful sleep before getting behind the wheel.

Personal protective equipment may be the best – or only – way to help protect cleanup workers against floodwater-related hazards.

Firmenich is the recipient of the 2012 Robert W. Campbell Award

Considering the skills necessary to handle a large truck – which is 20-30 times heavier than a passenger car – why are entry-level commercial truck drivers not required to go through formal training before being licensed?

Obese and severely obese workers tend to have more frequent and costlier injuries than normal-weight workers, but part of the responsibility rests on U.S. workplaces. S+H explores simple, inexpensive workplace changes companies can make to encourage workers to maintain a healthier weight.

Roadway work zones feature both unique hazards and those typical to building construction sites. What can work zone planners do to help reduce injuries and fatalities within a work zone – as well as keep hazards out?

Are traditional approaches to safety communication still effective for a workforce becoming more socially isolated and reliant on electronic communication?

Organizations are required to provide workers with proper eye protection to reduce the risk of injury to the eye – a body part that is more likely to suffer permanent damage than other body parts. However, this does not necessarily mean workers will choose to wear eye protection. What can employers do to ensure workers use provided eye protection?