NEW ONLINE COURSE AIMS TO EDUCATE DRIVERS ON BRIDGE & INFRASTRUCTURE SAFETY
SC&RA Collaborates with State Transportation Officials
(Centreville, VA - April 24, 2020) - According to recent transportation research findings, trucks and heavy equipment are causing an estimated $1.1 billion in damages a year when they hit bridges and other infrastructure. The Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association is addressing the problem by offering a new online course, Bridge Safety & Accident Prevention.
“According to industry research, 35 states have reported that bridge and infrastructure hits are steadily rising,” said SC&RA Vice President of Transportation Steven Todd.
Particularly important was information on how many bridge hits involved oversize/overweight loads, and especially, whether there were injuries or fatalities, what total damage costs were to the structure(s) and whether or not carriers had the correct permits. One surprising piece of information revealed that few states even track such data – despite the fact that approximately one bridge is hit every day in the U.S., according to statistics.
The 50-minute Bridge Safety & Accident Prevention online course was developed with the assistance of transportation and government officials across the country. SC&RA developed the program so that students can sign on when convenient and earn a certificate in less than an hour. The program is also priced to maximize participation from multiple employees within an organization.
The course covers such topics as role of management in training and advocating safety and accident prevention; how the permitting process allows the driver to manage limitations of personnel and equipment; elements of the pre-trip meeting to include steps to take, issuance and receipt of permit, as well as load securement; and elements of the physical move, including the role and responsibility of pilot cars.
“Bridge hits in general reflect on our industry, fairly or unfairly, and SC&RA, as the leader in advocacy for the specialized transportation industry, has chosen to step up and take the lead on providing this comprehensive training,” said Todd. “This online course is designed to train a company from start to finish – with a sole focus on preventing bridge hits.”
In addition to public safety, another key reason SC&RA has taken the initiative here, said Todd, has a lot to do with who ultimately absorbs the costs. “We’re stepping forward on this because the negative consequences of bridge hits too often affect us – our members – more than the ‘bad apples’ out there – the chronic offenders.”
To register for the course, visit
www.scratraining.org.