RULES OF THE ROAD – ISSUE NO. 479

On my way home last week, I was driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic behind a pick-up truck hauling a long ladder. The ladder extended way beyond the length of the truck bed. The driver failed to put a marker at the end of the ladder, which is typically used as visual warning to other drivers, especially when changing lanes. There are various laws in place concerning how far items can overhang the back end of a truck. In many cases, anything hanging over the rear must be properly marked to alert other drivers. Most drivers with overhangs mark it with a red flag indicating its maximum overhang. This helps to provide a clear indication of the overall length of the vehicle. CA Vehicle codes (Section 24604) state using a "solid red or fluorescent orange flag or cloth". Like the rules of the road, medical facilities have standards and guidelines to follow for safe transport. In compliance with OSHA standard CFR 1910.1030, sharp instruments must but be transported in a puncture resistant container that is labeled or color-coded with a biohazard label or other means of identifying the contents. To communicate the status of transported instruments, bins, and carts Healthmark offers a full line of clean/biohazard labels and signage. Use of a simple but clearly identifiable label will help to keep everyone safe at work and on the road.