by Linda Czarnecki on September 19, 2011 at 8:00 am · in Linda's Blog
The first week of October is designated as “Drive Safely Work Week”, an annual event from the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS). The theme of the week is “Focus360°… Getting there safely is everyone’s business.”
Driver Safety Work Week Banner from The ToolKit
Whether the driver, a passenger, a pedestrian or cyclist, there are things we can do to help prevent distracted driving-related incidents. The most recent government study estimates that employee traffic crashes, on and off the job, cost employers $60 billion annually, according to NETS.
What would you say activity sheet from The ToolKit
In partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation, NETS has developed a toolkit to help organizations implement an inclusive program for employees and families alike.
NETS says the toolkit will help employers “build a full-circle awareness of distracted driving to make prevention part of an everyday personal safety culture.” The U.S. Department of Transportation is trying to accomplish that, as well.
The toolkit is web-based, with downloadable activities and tools for each day of the week. It includes fact and tip sheets on the campaign’s issues, downloadable graphics, and Spanish-language materials that will be available in September.
by Linda Czarnecki on September 9, 2011 at 8:00 am · in Linda's Blog
Have you gone car shopping lately? Once you pull onto the car lot, there are many things that attempt to get your attention – shiny cars, big sales signs and air-pump-filled waving ‘things’. My focus is the cars. My focus is saving money. My focus is having as little impact on the environment as possible. Admittedly, a car is an expensive, necessary evil that once you see one, they all start blurring together.
Thanks to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Transportation (DOT) I can make a meaningful distinction between these blurry pieces of metal. Starting with model year 2013 a newly redesigned Fuel
Economy and Environment Label will provide the public with new information on vehicles’ fuel economy, energy use, fuel costs, and environmental impacts.
For the first time, comparable fuel economy and environmental ratings will be available for all new vehicles, including advanced technology vehicles such as plug-in hybrids, electric cars,and E85 flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs).
Transformative Overhaul
The new labels, are the most transformative overhaul in the 35-year history of EPA’s labeling program, and will provide more comprehensive fuel efficiency information and five-year fuel costs or savings compared to the average vehicle, as well as environmental impact information.
There are three reasons EPA and the DOT is revising the label. First, the labels will provide consumers with more information in order to help save money on fuel and cut down on harmful pollution.
With the growing numbers of advanced technology cars, especially electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), the current labels are becoming outdated. The labels will also provide consumers with the specialized information they need about advanced technology vehicles as well as information to compare among all vehicle technology types. (As in, comparing apples to apples, folks.)
And lastly, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 required DOT and EPA to include additional information on the label, including ratings to allow comparisons specifically among fuel economy, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and smog-forming pollutants. As a result, the new labels will include numeric scales that enable consumers to easily see how a particular vehicle compares to all others.
New Features
Specific features on the new Fuel Economy and Environment Labels include:
New ways to compare energy use and cost between new-technology cars that use electricity and conventional cars that are gasoline-powered.
Useful estimates on how much consumers will save or spend on fuel over the next five years compared to the average new vehicle.
Easy-to-read ratings of how a model compares to all others for smog emissions and emissions of pollution that contribute to climate change.
An estimate of how much fuel or electricity it takes to drive 100 miles.
Information on the driving range and charging time of an electric vehicle.
A QR Code® that will allow users of smartphones to access online information about how various models compare on fuel economy and other environmental and energy factors.
Cool Info, Facts and Figures
In addition, a new interactive tool at www.fueleconomy.gov will allow drivers to enter their zip code and estimate the greenhouse gas emissions from charging and driving a plug-in hybrid or electric car where they live.
The website also enables drivers of all types of vehicles to enter personalized information like local gas prices along with individual driving habits to get best possible cost and energy-use estimates.
For more information you can access the rule and related documents on EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) web site at:
While consumers will see the new fuel economy and environment label on all new cars and light trucks in dealer showrooms starting with model year 2013 vehicles, manufacturers may voluntarily adopt the label for some or all of their 2012 model year vehicles.
Gaining Focus
Whereas a bicycle or moped would be more affordable and efficient, alas such an application is not practical in my climate. Thus, I must deal with the necessary ‘evil’ of vehicle transportation. The new fuel economy and environment label provides me with a fresh perspective on saving money and limiting harm to the environment.
On Monday July 11, 2011Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Jordan Barab led the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Web Chat on the most recent Regulatory Agenda. The purpose of the web chat was to discuss the rules that OSHA is currently working on. The very first commenter asked about the release date of the revised Hazard Communication standard. It seems many are waiting for this final change! The answer: “Yes, we have updated the timeframe to publish a final rule in September 2011.”
In the previously released regulatory agenda in January 2011, OSHA proposed that in August of this year, they would publish the final rule to align the current Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. The most recent DOL Spring semi-annual regulatory agenda released in June revisits the scheduling of the release of the HCS revision to an unspecified date in September of this year. The official webpage for the new date in OSHA’s unified agenda is:
