The Safety Management Cycle (SMC) was designed to help with keeping safety-minded business practices in place to help new and established motor carriers.
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES — Operational rules and processes for a motor carrier and its employees.
Do you have policies and/or procedures in place for all areas of safety, especially those FMCSA has noted as weaknesses?
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES — Expectations and assignment of duties for a motor carrier and its employees.
Are the roles and responsibilities of employees in your company clearly defined?
QUALIFICATIONS AND HIRING — Find and qualify people for the defined roles and responsibilities.
Hiring
Are your job descriptions well written and visible to the right audience? Are you getting enough applicants?
Qualifications
Have you hired employees who are not qualified for the position due to:
lack of background investigation, or poor understanding of, the skills, knowledge, and abilities needed for the job?
TRAINING AND COMMUNICATION — Ongoing process to ensure that a motor carrier and its employees have the proper skills and knowledge to complete their jobs.
Training
Do you have adequate and effective training in place? Refresher Training?
Are your participants evaluated to see if they understand training material?
Communication
Are you communicating effectively with your employees?
Do your communication methods match the needs of the situation? Frequency? Understandable format? Language?
MONITORING AND TRACKING — Ensure that a motor carrier and its employees are in compliance with policies, procedures, roles and responsibilities.
Do you have a process for frequent monitoring and tracking your employees?
Are you documenting any behavior monitoring adequately? Is the right behavior being tracked?
MEANINGFUL ACTION — Provide positive reinforcement to improve or correct employee behavior.
Are you able to effectively assess the monitoring and tracking data and select the appropriate meaningful action?
Are you implementing a disciplinary process when appropriate?
Are you implementing an incentive reward and recognition program?
Are you implementing improvements to safety management processes?
Make sure to check out our online DOT Training platform, DOT University! We currently are offering Reasonable Suspicion for Supervisors, Cargo Securement, Defensive Driving, and Pre/Post Trip Inspection. In the coming months, we plan on releasing Designated Employer Representative and Appendix A.
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