Pub. 1 2019 Issue 3

LOSS PREVENTION COORDINATOR/ FIELD REPRESENTATIVE DIRECTOR May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month M ay is motorcycle safety awareness month, and Loss Prevention wanted to take the opportunity to discuss safety concerns and best practices for motorcycle dealerships. Like most risk management activities, for shop owners and managers, it must start at the time of hire. Incor- porating NHADA’s Strategic Hiring Guidelines will help you hire the cor- rect person for the job. Specifically, when hiring a technician or salesper- son who will operate bikes as part of their job, employers should be insist- ing on candidates with: a motorcycle license, a clean driving record and a negative pre-placement drug test. A motorcycle safety course or refresher is also an excellent component in the new hire orientation. The greatest hazard faced by motor- cycle dealership employees is the road test/test drive. It is becoming increasingly more dangerous out on the roadway due to increasing traffic volume and a distracted driving problem that is reaching epidemic proportions. Motorcycle operators have substantial disadvantages in that they can be hard for drivers to see and they have no protec- tion from a crash. The NHADA Workers Compensation Trust BRIAN DUPLESSIS strongly recommends that helmets be worn whenever employees ride motorcycles, no matter how short a distance. Serious injuries have resulted from employees moving motorcycles and taking short rides without helmets and other protective gear. A universal helmet policy must be in place and enforced. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) is a not-for-profit organization sponsored by BMW, BRP, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Piaggio, Polaris Motorcycles, Suzuki, Triumph and Yamaha. For safety information or to enroll in the RiderCourse℠ nearest you, visit www.msf-usa.org or call (800) 446-9227. The motorcycle safety foundation, is an excellent safety resource with “Quick Tips” that are best safety practices, checklists, and so on. Some of the suggestions to increase roadway safety include the following suggestions. "Motorcyclists should pretend they are invisible to car drivers," said Ken Glaser, MSF’s director of special projects. "If you assume others on the road can’t see you on a motorcycle, you will tend to ride in a hyper-aware mindset and notice much more detail of your surroundings. Pretending you cannot be seen by others will help you take the initiative to ride more responsibly and defensively." Always don brightly colored helmets, jackets, and other easy-to-see riding gear that stands out. Always use the headlight. Take an approved rider training course to learn how to maneuver the motorcycle in emergencies. Wear “all the gear, all the time." Even on those warm summer days. Have a pre-determined road test/test drive route that leads away from dan- gerous heavy traveled routes/intersec- tions and would allow for an employee to be located quickly if they didn’t return as scheduled due to an accident in which the biker left the roadway. Be cautious when operating a motorcy- cle with new tires, which can be slick. Also never apply Armor All or other tire-shine products to motorcycle tires. Motorcycle dealers should prohibit employees from operating a motorcy- cle with a passenger because it does make riding a motorcycle more difficult. Lastly on road safety, a clearly com- municated zero-tolerance policy for any type of horseplay or aggressive riding is imperative. Many serious inju- ries result from operators doing things they shouldn’t. In addition to the road safety issues are injuries that result from servicing and handling motorcycles. Motorcy- cles are heavy and awkward to move around, which can cause sprain/strain type injuries if employees are not cautious. Technicians should also use great care when lifting bikes with a lifting device or forklift. Any employee who operates a forklift is required by OSHA to be trained and authorized. Care and proper personal protective equipment (PPE) needs to be utilized when handling/charging batteries and working on fuel system compo- nents to avoid chemical burns and the potential for fire. Be sure to check out the other checklists and safety tips at The Motorcycle Safety Foundation, msf-usa.org . Contact NHADA Loss Prevention for help with training, PPE, and other safety resources. Be Safe! D R I V E 18