Implementing an In-Vehicle Monitoring Program: A Guide for the OIl & Gas Extraction Industry
Motor vehicle crashes are the most common cause of fatality for the oil and
gas extraction worker, accounting for almost one out of every three fatalities.
Workers from companies with fewer than 100 employees have the highest
rates of motor vehicle fatality in this industry. Driving is both a critical and
frequent task for workers in the oil and gas extraction industry. All sizes of
trucks, from pick-up trucks to semi-trucks are driven long distances between
well sites to deliver equipment, supplies, and personnel. Deaths to workers can
be prevented by implementing comprehensive motor vehicle safety programs.
One component of such a program is in-vehicle monitoring systems (IVMS).
Oil and gas companies tell researchers that these systems are helping to reduce
the rate of crashes and injuries for their workers.
This guidance is for oil and gas extraction safety and health professionals who
are responsible for motor vehicle safety in their company. This publication was
developed to assist these professionals in implementing in-vehicle monitoring
system programs. The guidance highlights what is known about fatal motor
vehicle crashes in this industry, the safety benefits of IVMS as reported by the
oil and gas extraction industry and other literature, and things to consider
when implementing an IVMS program.
Critical Issues in Trucking
Trucking 101: An Industry Primer
When Can a Paid Break Become Unpaid?
Many of our clients contract to government entities – which means additional scrutiny from the Department of Labor. If you have drivers that fall under the Service Contract Act, you are required to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act. We have seen increased DOL audits with our clients, and more companies are using LoadTrek to create work plans and monitor compliance with established plans.
A key provision is the creation and monitoring of authorized break periods – and the rules that stipulate whether or not these breaks should be compensable.
Many employers assume that, when an employee stretches a 15-minute break to 25 minutes, the FLSA does not allow the additional 10 minutes to be treated as non-compensable time.
On the contrary, the Labor Department’s internal enforcement manual takes the position that unauthorized break extensions need not be considered work time, so long as the employer has expressly and unambiguously told employees that:
- authorized breaks may last only for a specific length of time;
- any extension of those breaks is against the rules; and
- any extension of those breaks will be punished.
Remember that many states impose rest-break rules of their own. Employers must also be aware of and comply with whatever the applicable obligations are.
For purposes of what is and is not FLSA worktime under Labor Department interpretations, it can be useful to view scheduled breaks as falling into essentially three categories:
- Meal breaks, which are typically noncompensable time
- “Short” rest breaks of “about 20 minutes” or less, which the Labor Department says are typically compensable time
- Break periods which are neither meal breaks nor “short” rest breaks, which might or might not be compensable time.
We recommend that routes are created with break times and locations built into the route. These break locations should have instructions that explain the nature and expected duration of the break.
Fleet Telematics System (FTS) Defined
A Fleet Telematics System (FTS) allows the information exchange between a commercial vehicle fleet and their central authority, i.e., the dispatching office. A FTS typically consists of mobile Vehicle Systems (VS) and a stationary Fleet Communication System (FCS). The FCS may be a stand alone application maintained by the motor carrier or an internet service running by the supplier of the system. The FCS usually includes a database in which all vehicle positions and messages are stored.
Digital maps are often included which allow visualization of vehicle positions and traces. Communication with the FCS is realized by trunked radio, cellular, or satellite communication. Positioning of vehicles is usually realized by global satellite positioning systems and/or dead reckoning using a gyroscope and odometer.
Usually, the VS is equipped with a simple input device allowing drivers to send predefined status messages. Drivers may add simple content, e.g., numeric values, but usually cannot enter arbitrary text. Besides the messages sent by drivers, some VS can also automatically submit messages, e.g., the vehicle’s position, data from sensors in the cargo body, or vehicle data from the CAN-bus.
In 2002, major European commercial vehicle manufacturers, namely Daimler Chrysler, Scania, DAF, Volvo, and Renault, agreed to give third parties access to vehicle data using the CAN-bus as a connection. The Fleet Management Standard (FMS) is an open standard which is dependent on the vehicle’s equipment, with access to such vehicle data as fuel consumption, engine data, or vehicle weight.