Safety & Compliance News

Don’t lose your readers

Regulations, when read directly, are complex. It often takes a special eye to catch what’s being said. Regurgitating the regulations to drivers sets both the carrier and driver up for miscommunication.

Avoid lofty language

Any safety policy or procedure needs to be written for the audience — employees who need to use the policy, such as drivers. It’s not meant for HR, attorneys, or compliance professionals. The policy or procedure should be a clear, plain-language document that:

• Uses everyday words; and
• Avoids formal, legalistic language.

Consider using alternative words to simplify a formal policy. Here are some examples:

Use short, concise sentences

In addition to using simpler words, sentences in a policy or procedure need to be direct and convey exactly what the employee needs to know. The writing style should:

• Focus on one main idea per sentence,
• Use short sentences for complicated requirements,
• Remove unnecessary introductory phrases and qualifiers, and
• Break long paragraphs into smaller sections.

After creating simplified text, you need to examine how your information is organized. This is especially important when explaining a process.

Make a process clear

For procedures, understanding a process from beginning to end helps the reader. Laying out a step-by-step approach is best, including:

• Chronological order,
• Numbered lists for sequential actions, and
• Bulleted lists when there’s no specific order.

Readability: More than visual appeal

A policy or procedure should be visually scannable, so drivers can quickly find relevant information.

It’s most useful when:

• Headings reflect what the driver would look for (rather than formal terms),
• Headings and subheadings are descriptive,
• Paragraphs are short,
• Bullets and numbered lists are used strategically,
• Bold print is used sparingly, and
• White space breaks up the text.

The goal is to assist employees in quickly locating the answer to a specific question when referencing the document.

Don’t lose context

An easy-to-read policy should never come at the expense of accuracy. It should always reflect applicable federal, state, and local laws. Avoid simplifying a sentence so much that it significantly changes the meaning of the policy. Policies must always communicate regulatory and company-specific requirements.

If you’re concerned that a revised policy or procedure might have lost context, consult with others at the motor carrier, such as legal, HR, safety, or operations.

Key to remember: A plain-language policy organizes complex topics to make the information easier to understand. Always aim to simplify the explanation, not the requirement.

Check more than the repaired part

When maintenance focuses on fixing a specific problem, it can be easy to only think about the repair itself. However, getting to the issue may mean removing guards, disconnecting devices, or moving equipment. A missing fastener, improperly positioned guard, defeated interlock, or overlooked component can leave employees exposed to hazards that weren’t present before the work began. Before equipment returns to use, employers must make sure maintenance work hasn’t affected:

A guard that’s back in place may not be enough

Reinstalling a guard doesn’t always mean the machine is ready for use. The guard needs to provide the protection it was designed for. For example, a guard could be reinstalled but positioned incorrectly. An interlocked guard could close normally, but after servicing may not function as intended. Replacement of parts or adjustments could also affect clearances or create access to areas that were previously protected. A post-maintenance check may include:

• Confirming guards are properly installed and secured,
• Checking safety devices and interlocks for proper operation,
• Looking for loose or missing components,
• Verifying tools and maintenance materials have been removed,
• Ensuring employees are clear of hazardous areas, and
• Following established procedures for returning equipment to service.

Don't separate guarding from hazardous energy

Machine guarding and lockout/tagout work together to protect employees from hazards during maintenance and servicing. A guard keeps employees away from moving parts during normal operations, but it doesn’t control hazardous energy. If a machine starts up unexpectedly or releases stored energy during servicing, employees can be seriously injured. When lockout/tagout applies, an emergency stop is not a substitute for properly controlling hazardous energy.

Finish the repair by restoring protection

The job isn’t finished when the repair is complete. Before the machine goes back into service, make sure guards and safety devices that were removed, bypassed, or affected by the work are back in place and functioning as intended.

Maintenance employees and equipment operators need a clear handoff that covers which guards or safety devices were affected, if protection has been restored, and whether anything still needs attention. If a guard, interlock, emergency stop, or other protective device isn’t working properly, employees should know to stop and not use the equipment, report the problem so it can be corrected, and keep the machine out of service until the issue is corrected.

Key to remember: If a guard comes off for maintenance, make sure every safeguard is back in place and working before the equipment returns to operation.