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Copyright 2024 J. J. Keller & Associate, Inc. For re-use options please contact copyright@jjkeller.com or call 800-558-5011.
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Transportation Monthly Round Up - August 2024
In this August 2024 round up, we will discuss fleet taxes, the Unified Carrier Registration, and school zone safety. Let’s get started.
Who pays fuel taxes on a leased truck?
In a lease, the parties may negotiate certain items. This includes who will pay for fuel taxes under the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA). However, certain conditions apply to different circumstances, and the details of the arrangement must be clearly spelled out in the written lease agreement.
Requirements can vary based on whether it’s a long-term lease or a short-term rental. The details also change depending on whether the lease involves just a truck from a rental company, or a truck with a driver (like when leasing on an owner-operator).
If your operations involve leased commercial vehicles subject to IFTA, make sure you know your role — or risk fines, penalties, and interest for late payments.
The enrollment period opens soon for Unified Carrier Registration (UCR). If you operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce, make sure to keep this program on your schedule and pay the fees on time to keep your credentials active.
Most entities engaged in interstate commerce are subject to annual registration under the UCR program. Understanding the meaning of “interstate commerce” is critical, since it distinguishes businesses that are subject to UCR from those that are not.
The UCR enrollment period for 2025 begins October 1, 2024. If your fleet operates in interstate commerce, be sure to register and pay your fee before January 1, 2025, to continue operating legally.
As kids go back to school over the next few weeks, it’s important that your drivers understand the hazards they may face when entering school zones or encountering school buses. When driving through a school zone and in the area surrounding a school, a driver’s undivided attention needs to be on the road, looking out for potential hazards.
Never pass a school bus:
- When its lights are flashing and its stop arm is extended. This means children are boarding or exiting the bus.
- On the right side. This is where children enter and exit the bus.
That’s it for this month’s roundup. Stay safe, and thanks for watching
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RECENT INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS
NewsMonthly Roundup VideoLeaveUSAHuman ResourcesLeaveHR ManagementEnglishIndustry NewsRecruiting and hiringWage and HourWage and HourRecruiting and hiringMinimum WageHR GeneralistNon-Exempt employees OvertimeApplications/ApplicantsFocus AreaVideo
HR Monthly Round Up - August 2024
In this August 2024 roundup video, we’ll review the most impactful HR news.
Welcome, everyone! In the next few minutes, we’ll review the latest HR news. Let’s get started.
A federal court recently awarded $35.8 million in overtime back wages and liquidated damages to 6,000 current and former workers in one of the nation’s largest wage recovery judgments.
U.S. Department of Labor investigators discovered the Pennsylvania employer willfully violated federal wage and hour laws. The employer didn’t pay employees for all hours worked, failed to properly calculate overtime pay, classified employees incorrectly to avoid paying overtime, and failed to keep accurate records.
In other news, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services updated the Form I-9 with a new expiration date of 05/31/2027. This latest version was released on August 2. The agency is giving employers almost two years to switch to the new form. After July 31, 2026, employers will be required to use the newest version of the Form I-9.
The Form I-9 expiration date, which is in the upper right corner of the form, is the only thing that changed. All other fields remain the same. Employers can download the latest version on the agency’s I-9 website.
And, finally, two more states are moving toward passing paid sick leave laws. Citizens in both Missouri and Nebraska will vote in November on whether employees are entitled to paid sick leave.
Currently, 18 states (plus Washington D.C.) have leave laws giving employees time off to care for themselves or family members who are ill.
Also, on the November ballot in Missouri, there is an initiative that would increase the state’s minimum wage to $13.75 per hour on January 1, 2025. On January 1, 2026, it would increase again, going up to $15 per hour.
That’s all the HR news we have time for today. For more information on these topics, click the content links in the transcript below. Thanks for watching. See you next month!
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NewsProcess Safety ManagementEnforcement and Audits - OSHAWaste/HazWasteToxic Substances Control Act - EPAWasteErgonomicsMonthly Roundup VideoUSAEnglishErgonomicsIndustry NewsEnforcement and Audits - OSHASafety & HealthToxic Substances - EPAGeneral Industry SafetyWasteEnvironmentalHazardous Materials Safety - OSHAFocus AreaVideo
EHS Monthly Round-Up - August 2024
In this August 2024 roundup, we'll review the most impactful environmental, health, and safety news.
Hi everyone! Welcome to the monthly news roundup video, where we’ll review the most impactful environmental, health, and safety news. Please view the content links in the transcript for more information about the topics I’ll be covering today. Let’s get started!
Two State Plan agencies allegedly provided advance notice of workplace inspections to employers, a practice that’s prohibited under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Now, lawmakers have requested that the Department of Labor’s acting secretary address the allegations and explain what challenges OSHA faces when monitoring and enforcing State Plan compliance.
A recent study shows jobs in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting are among California’s most dangerous, accounting for the highest number of fatalities among full-time workers. Transportation and utilities jobs ranked second and construction was third.
Remote isolation of process equipment can quickly stop the release of hazardous materials, which can help prevent fatalities and injuries, limit facility damage, and better protect communities and the environment. A U.S. Chemical Safety Board study explores their use and makes recommendations for their utilization in chemical facilities.
A National Safety Council report explores the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion on work-related musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs. MSDs are the most common workplace injury and often lead to worker disability, early retirement, and employment limitations.
And finally, turning to environmental news, EPA published a final rule that revises its hazardous waste export manifest regulations. All hazardous waste shipments and manifest-related reports will be managed electronically through the agency’s e-Manifest program.
Thanks for tuning in to the monthly news roundup. We’ll see you next month!
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2024-09-06T05:00:00Z
NewsIndustry NewsWaste/HazWasteWasteOil Spill PreventionWaste ManagementEnvironmentalIn-Depth ArticleOil SpillsEnglishFocus AreaUSA
Expert Insights: What's an environmental incident?
Yes, this includes traditional spills and releases. But have you considered looking beyond that? It can be beneficial to evaluate all types of environmental situations in your compliance programs that warrant tracking, corrective action, and, sometimes, reporting.
First, identify how your organization defines environmental incidents. You may decide it includes a wide range of environmental events or is very narrow in focus. For example, determine if it makes sense to include only releases that trigger regulatory reporting or if there’s a lower reporting threshold that’s more appropriate. If you track and investigate small spills, determine down to what level they’re addressed.
If your organization has multiple locations, does it make sense to create one set of rules for environmental incidents? Or does it create a stronger program to set different criteria and thresholds for each site or group of locations? I recently worked with a customer that operates three beverage manufacturing facilities and a dozen distribution centers. Because the risks and materials at each were different enough, it made sense for the customer to create distinct internal reporting criteria for each type of facility.
Also, consider the potential value of tracking and recording spills or leaks that occur inside buildings. These typically aren’t reportable, so many of you may be wondering why you should bother. There are many benefits to recording inside spills and leaks. I’ve worked with some environmental incident programs that effectively used this tracking as a leading indicator. Plus, you can see trends in equipment maintenance, operation, and housekeeping that, if adjusted, can help prevent similar incidents from occurring outside that would be reportable and could have a negative environmental impact. Identifying and investigating indoor spills can be an important component of employee safety as well.
Administrative program pieces are less commonly associated with an “incident,” but they should be considered. These incidents can fall under the radar, but most environmental enforcement actions are related to administrative incidents. Missed recordkeeping, missed reporting deadlines, and incomplete reports are all areas that trigger violations.
Clearly defining when something is and isn’t officially considered an incident helps you maintain a strong and compliant environmental program.
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2024-09-06T05:00:00Z
NewsTraining & DevelopmentIn-Depth ArticleUSAHR ManagementEnglishIndustry NewsWorkplace ViolenceActive ShooterWorkplace ViolenceSafety & HealthGeneral Industry SafetyHR GeneralistAssociate RelationsFocus AreaHuman Resources
California employers closer to having Workplace Violence Prevention Plan regulations
The country’s first workplace violence prevention law for general industry took effect July 1, 2024. Most California employers had a steep learning curve the past few months as they geared up to comply with this new Cal/OSHA law. And the learning isn’t over yet.
The agency has been working on writing the standard (i.e., regulations) for the law— California Senate Bill 553 (SB 553)—and received public comments through September 3.
Once the agency reviews the comments and makes changes, they’ll likely release the standard sometime in 2025. The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) is required to adopt the standard no later than December 31, 2026.
Complying with the law without having specifics in place has been a challenge for some employers. The draft regulations, however, give California employers a sneak peek on what’s coming.
Engineering controls
Cal/OSHA included the types of engineering controls organizations can put in place.
“Engineering controls” means an aspect of the built space or a device that removes a hazard from the workplace or creates a barrier between the worker and the hazard. For purposes of reducing workplace violence hazards, engineering controls include, but are not limited to:
- Electronic or mechanical access controls to employee occupied areas;
- Weapon detectors (installed or handheld);
- Enclosed workstations with shatter-resistant glass;
- Deep service counters;
- Spaces configured to optimize employee access to exits, escape routes, and alarms;
- Separate rooms or areas for high risk persons;
- Locks on doors;
- Furniture affixed to the floor;
- Opaque glass (protects privacy, but allows employees to see where potential risks are);
- Improving lighting in dark areas, sight-aids, improving visibility, and removing sight barriers;
- Video monitoring and recording; and
- Personal and workplace alarms.
Work practices controls
“Work practice controls” means procedures, rules, and staffing which are used to effectively reduce workplace violence hazards. Work practice controls include, but are not limited to:
- Appropriate staffing levels;
- Provision of dedicated security personnel;
- An effective means to alert employees of the presence, location, and nature of a security threat;
- Control of visitor entry;
- Methods and procedures to prevent unauthorized firearms and weapons in the workplace;
- Employee training on workplace violence prevention methods; and
- Employee training on procedures to follow in the event of a workplace violence incident or emergency.
Employers elsewhere can use this as a guide
While California employers and companies with satellite offices located in the west-coast state meeting certain criteria need to comply, employers across the country can look to these draft regulations and use them as a starting point to improve safety measures at their organizations.
News reports following this week’s school shooting in Georgia indicate that recently implemented safety measures, like automatically locking doors and staff panic buttons, may have helped save countless lives.
As organizations nationwide continue to grapple with how to prevent violent incidents from occurring at their worksites, following California’s lead on implementing some control measures is a great place to start.
Key to remember: Cal/OSHA is closer to finalizing a new standard for the Workplace Violence Prevention Plan law that took effect this summer.
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2024-09-06T05:00:00Z
NewsIndustry NewsEnglishSafety & HealthGeneral Industry SafetyAssociate RelationsHR GeneralistIn-Depth ArticleUSAHR ManagementWellnessWellnessFocus AreaHuman Resources
Leave viruses at the door (not on the doorknob) with this checklist
Cold and flu season isn’t in full swing quite yet, making this the perfect time to be proactive and plan to prevent the spread of viruses in your workplace.
Make sure employees are aware of steps they should take to stay healthy, and update your workspaces and use company policies to keep cold, flu, and COVID-19 viruses from intruding on your workplace and draining productivity.
Use this simple checklist to help keep your team on track:
____ Encourage handwashing. Regular handwashing keeps germs from spreading. Put up posters and signs that encourage employees to regularly wash their hands vigorously for 20 seconds. Provide handwashing facilities with ample clean water and soap. If employees work in an environment where soap and water aren’t available, provide hand sanitizer made with at least 60 percent alcohol.
____ Disinfect commonly touched surfaces. Germs can linger on surfaces for days or weeks. Disinfect surfaces that are touched frequently, like doorknobs, microwave handles, keyboards, light switches, dials, and control buttons.
____ Publicize your sick leave policy. To keep viruses from spreading, employees who are ill should stay home. Make sure employees understand your sick leave policy and know who to contact if they are not feeling well.
____ Provide etiquette reminders. Workers who come down with a virus but who are not ill enough to stay home should cover coughs and sneezes with an arm (not hands) or a tissue and properly dispose of used tissues.
____ Give workers space. If an outbreak of illness occurs, consider recommending social distancing in the office. Viruses spread through the air, so maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet from others might help slow the spread. The option to work from home and holding virtual meetings can also help.
____ Provide face masks. Encourage employees to wear masks when they’re feeling sick to help keep microscopic droplets and particles containing viruses out of the air.
____ Urge workers to get vaccinated. Vaccinations for the flu and COVID-19 prevent severe illnesses and hospitalizations. Provide workers with information about the advantages of these vaccinations and where they can get them. Allow workers to take time off to get vaccinated and recover from any side effects. If possible, hold an on-site clinic to make it convenient for workers to get vaccinated.
____ Be prepared for absences. Supervisors should have a plan in place to cover unplanned employee absences so workers don’t feel pressured to come in to work when they are ill. If remote work is an option for those who don’t feel well enough to come into the office, make sure workers are aware of how to inform teammates of their plans.
____ Check building ventilation. Proper indoor ventilation can lower the concentration of viruses and allow people to breathe in air that’s less contaminated. In addition, good ventilation reduces surface contamination, as there are fewer virus particles to fall from the air onto surfaces. Make sure your heating and cooling system meets or exceeds requirements.
Key to remember: Planning now can help keep employees healthy when cold and flu season kicks in.
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Copyright 2024 J. J. Keller & Associate, Inc. For re-use options please contact copyright@jjkeller.com or call 800-558-5011.