Fire Prevention Month
72 Hour Inspection Results. Inspectors issued the fewest number of out-of-service violations yet during this year’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance International Roadcheck. The 2015 International Roadcheck took place from June 2 -4. During that time, CVSA inspectors carried out over 69,000 inspections. Out of that total, 44,989 were Standard Level I inspections, which are the most thorough type of roadside inspection. Level I inspections follow a 37-step procedure that involves examination of the driver’s record of duty status and the safety of the vehicle. Of all Level I inspections, only 3.6% of drivers and 21.6% of vehicles incurred out-of-service violations. That marked the lowest rates for which CVSA has data, which dates back to 1991.
Speedway Fuel Centers. Until this week, M.C. Tank and Contractors have not received a fuel discount from COMDATA purchases at Speedway. We have good news from the folks at Speedway. Marathon’s subsidiary, Speedway, recently acquired Wilco-Hess and will be soon reflagging their new acquisition to “Speedway,” and all Speedways will receive the same discount that we previously enjoyed with Wilco-Hess. The discount is a Cost Plus program. Which basically means that you can ignore the marque sign price and the charge for fuel will be the rack price plus $0.02.
Fire Prevention Month. You probably won’t find a Hallmark Card for this, but October has been slated as Fire Prevention Month. More than likely, this month has been ear-marked because it also coincides with the beginning of the home heating season. Now is the time for you or a trained professional to inspect your furnace, heat pump, base board heaters, etc. If you heat your home with a fireplace, be sure to also clean your chimney. In addition to fires started by heating systems, there are 15,500 house fires reportedly started in the ductworks of clothes dryers. This simple appliance can ruin lives when not properly maintained. Most of the dryer fires stem from lint accumulation in the dryer vent restricting airflow. This lint backs up the dryer and surrounds the interior of the appliance and waits for an opportunity to ignite. The very dry lint has an exceptionally low ignition temperature.
Additional fire prevention and safety tips are:
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Change the batteries in your smoke and carbon dioxide detectors.
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Inspect all of your fire extinguishers.
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Rehearse a fire escape plan with everyone in your household.
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Inspect all electrical cords and replace all that are frayed.
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Remove any device that potentially may cause an electrical overload.
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Clean and service space heaters that you may have.
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Teach children about fire safety and prevention.
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Use special caution when using candles or oil lamps during power outages.
Fog. Fog is common during the fall and early winter season. Fog is created when there is a 20o difference between the air and ground temperatures and coupled with a 75% humidity. Fog can be anything from a minor annoyance to the thick, dense stuff. When the air is cooler than the ground temperature, the fog will have the tendency to collect in the higher areas such as hill tops, etc. When the ground is cooler than the air the fog will accumulate in the lower areas. Keep up with the local weather and reports from fellow drivers, especially when these conditions are forecasted. If it’s too foggy to drive, find a safe place to park and wait it out. Advise your dispatcher of your whereabouts and the reason for delay.