Safety is major topic at Spring Maintenance Expo
The safety of maintenance workers and the traveling public has always been a popular topic at both the spring and fall maintenance expos. In addition to safety classes, many vendors display the latest in safety equipment, tools, and clothing.
The 2005 Spring Maintenance Training Expo, held at the St. Cloud Civic Center on April 20 and 21, featured even more safety-related classes than usual. In addition to traditional topics like chain-saw safety, work-zone traffic control, and workplace safety, the expo included classes on recognizing and safely dealing with methamphetamine labs, skin cancer, and West Nile virus. These topics reflect new health and safety issues for today's maintenance worker.
This was the second year that CTS/Minnesota LTAP was the primary sponsor of the event, in cooperation with the LRRB, Mn/DOT, the Minnesota Street Superintendents Association, and the Minnesota Public Works Association.
Methamphetamine
April 20's general session on methamphetamine began with a description of the growth in production and use of this dangerous drug in Minnesota and throughout the country. Methamphetamine—manufactured with explosive, flammable, toxic, and corrosive chemicals—creates safety and health problems wherever it is produced, and the illegal disposal of waste products from meth labs is a growing problem. Speakers from the Minnesota Department of Health described meth labs so that maintenance workers can more readily identify waste along roads and take safe action. (See related article on page 6.)
Skin cancer
April 21's general session on skin cancer was presented by Michelle Berry and Maretta Johannes from MIDSOTA Plastic Surgeons, P.A. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation, they said, damages skin and can lead to skin cancer. UVB radiation changes intensity seasonally or with cloudy skies, but the harmful UVA radiation's intensity is constant, which can cause skin cancer. Leading risk indicators for skin cancer include fair skin, a history of sunburn, working outdoors for lengthy periods, a history of chemical splashes or burns, and overexposure to coal, tar, soot, pitch, or asphalt. At least one, but in some cases all, of these risk indicators usually apply to a maintenance worker.
Berry and Johannes described the three types of skin cancer. Basal cell is primarily a local nuisance on the skin and can be easily treated. Squamos cell cancer, often misdiagnosed as psoriasis, may become invasive. It is caused by sun, chronic heat exposure, and warts, and if left untreated, can spread to the lymph nodes and be fatal. Melanoma—the most common skin cancer—is diagnosed in one out of 75 people. In Minnesota, around 900 cases have been reported annually in recent years, with 120 fatalities in 2001. The main cause is intermittent, intense sun exposure. Melanoma can be life-threatening, but is treatable if caught early—before it gets larger than a pencil eraser. Treatment is normally removal by incision, but if cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes, chemotherapy is usually recommended.
The speakers advised protective measures against skin cancer: apply an effective sunblock, wear protective clothing to block the sun, and eat and drink items high in anti-oxidants, such as most fruits and vegetables and green tea. In sunblocks, the ingredients are important. The SPF number of a sunblock is based on protection against UVB rays and may not be that effective against UVA. An SPF of 30 should be adequate, the speakers said, but a broad spectrum sunblock, preferably containing zinc oxide, should be used. Artificial tanning isn't any safer than the real deal: 30 minutes in a tanning bed is equivalent to a full day of August sun.
Work-zone safety
Minnesota CTAP instructor Kathleen Schaefer presented a concurrent session each day on proper work-zone traffic control and flagging for maintenance workers, a condensed version of a newly developed training course now available as part of any CTAP workshop. The session is based on the new Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices field manual. Some of the key points from the session include:
- A particular work-zone application depends on the duration of work, type of roadway, average daily traffic, and speed. The proper application is easily found in the manual.
- Layouts shown are somewhat flexible, but projects usually add more elements rather than reduce them.
- Decision sight distance is critical and is shown on every layout.
- Sandbags are the only approved ballast for portable devices.
- Cones are not allowed in unattended work zones; use barrels or weighted channelizers.
- Signs must measure at least 48 inches by 48 inches in 45 mph or greater zones and at least 36 inches by 36 inches in 40 mph or lower zones.
- Signs must be installed in the order the driver sees them and removed in the opposite order.
Schaefer also discussed safe flagging operations and pointed out that the flagging manual can be downloaded from www.dot.state.mn.us/trafficeng.
Bill Servatius from Mn/DOT's Office of Construction also presented a concurrent session dealing with work zones. His slide show depicted some "good, bad, and ugly" features of work zones he has encountered throughout Minnesota, and shared some methods to imitate and some to avoid.
West Nile virus
Kirk Johnson, from the Metropolitan Mosquito District, discussed mosquitoes and the spread of West Nile virus. This was of interest to those in attendance for two reasons: their jobs expose them to mosquitoes and allow them to minimize mosquito breeding grounds. The virus spread completely across the United States, except for the Pacific Northwest, from 2001 to 2004. It has been in Minnesota since 2002. There were 148 human cases in 2003 but only 34 in 2004, primarily because of the cold, dry weather.
About 0.1 percent of Minnesotans have been exposed since 2002, which is quite low compared to the rest of the country. Only 20 percent will exhibit symptoms. About two-thirds of those will have very bad flu-like symptoms and bad headaches: West Nile fever. The rest will have West Nile meningitis or encephalitis.
Mosquitoes transmit the disease from infected birds to horses, other birds, and humans. So far, 58 different species of mosquitoes have been found to be carriers. Precautionary measures include wearing repellent containing DEET, covering exposed skin, and avoiding outdoor activities from dusk to dawn.
For mosquitoes to breed, an area must be wet for five days or more and be free of fish (minnows eat the larvae). Wave action also kills mosquito larvae. Many areas under the jurisdiction of most public agencies can be prolific mosquito producers, but eliminating standing water wherever possible minimizes the risk. Some areas to pay particular attention to include catch basin sumps, retention basins, rip-rap outflows, and rain gardens used to trap nutrients. In all of these areas, anything that can be done to minimize the surface area that collects standing water will help reduce the mosquito population and therefore the potential for West Nile virus.
Commercial Driver License (CDL) requirements
Richard Norberg of Mn/DOT gave an overview of the regulations currently in effect in Minnesota and their effect on government operations. Government agencies are exempt from most provisions of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (49 Code of Federal Regulations); however, they are subject to the drug/alcohol portion (Part 382) and to Minnesota statutes.
Government entities are subject to the following:
- Correct driver's license (Minnesota Statute 171)
- Drug and alcohol testing (CDL-Part 382)
- All general traffic laws
- Safe operation of vehicles and equipment
- Vehicles or combinations with gross vehicle weight over 26,000 pounds are subject to pre-trip, post-trip, and annual inspections (Minnesota Statute 169)
Norberg spent much of his presentation reviewing the requirements for drug and alcohol testing and the prohibitions on drug and alcohol use before, during, and in some cases after operating a commercial vehicle. He also reminded everyone that recent changes in law and regulation result in loss of a CDL for drug or alcohol violations in any vehicle. For a DUI (driving under the influence) conviction, a CDL will be lost for one year and a work exemption can only be obtained for a Class D license.
—Pat Murphy, LTAP Technical Support Engineer