May 17 in Calgary
The Private Motor Truck Council of Canada has announced the next regional seminar in its ongoing series of cross country educational half day conferences. The next seminar will be held on Wednesday, May 17, in Calgary, AB.
The seminar will run from 8:30am to 11:30am and will cover three topics that are at the forefront of the trucking industry. One of the advantages of being a member of the PMTC is that the PMTC actively seeks opportunities to provide members with access to leaders in the trucking industry who provide information and practical solutions to keep their companies informed and better able to be prepared to protect the interests of their companies and employees.
The topics being covered are: Marijuana in the Workplace, Sleep Apnea and an ELD Update.
Canadian Cannabis Craze, Marijuana in the Workplace
Medical marijuana authorizations continue to increase at an alarming rate across Canada, and with the federal liberal government announcing its intention to legalize cannabis in the near future, concerns are being raised regarding the impact this will have on employees and the workplace, especially when it comes to safety sensitive positions. The job of a professional CMV operator is one of these safety sensitive positions, whose workplace is shared with not only employees, but the public.
Marijuana has a variety of impairment effects, including reduced reaction times, loss of focus and poor decision making. In this seminar, Dr. Melissa Snider-Adler, Chief Medical Review Officer for DriverCheck Inc., will provide up to date information regarding marijuana in the workplace, and what companies can do to protect themselves.
“DriverCheck fields calls daily regarding concerns of cannabis use in the workplace. Employers understand the need to respect Human Rights, but safety must not be compromised. Employers want to be educated about what they legally can and can not do”.
Dr. Snider Adler will touch on:
• Medical marijuana applications for usage
• Impairment factors from THC
• Challenges of marijuana in the workplace
• Human Rights commission consideration
• Medical marijuana authorizations- THC vs CBD
• Testing capabilities of devices- today and the future
• Company policy considerations
Sleep Apnea, Fatigue Management
The understanding of fatigue has been evolving quickly over the last few years. Fatigue is more readily being recognized as an impairment that is just as dangerous as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. A fatigued driver simply will not have the same reaction time as a well rested driver, and fatigue is one of the leading causes of CMV accidents. Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. They may occur 30 times or more an hour. Typically, normal breathing then starts again. Sleep apnea usually is a chronic (ongoing) condition that disrupts your sleep. As a result, the quality of your sleep is poor, which makes you tired during the day. Sleep apnea is a leading cause of excessive daytime sleepiness. Studies have indicated that as many as 1/3 of CMV drivers have sleep apnea. If gone undiagnosed and untreated, the problem will persist, and can not only cause extreme daytime drowsiness, it can also lead to deterioration of your health, a poor quality of life and irritability, among other side effects. Many transport companies have instituted sleep apnea testing and treatment programs in their fleets, and have reported significant declines in accident rates, as well as improved quality of life for the employees who are treated. South of the border, the FMCSA regulations do not specifically address sleep apnea, however they do prescribe that a person with a medical history or clinical diagnosis of any condition likely to interfere with their ability to drive safely cannot be medically qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce. This includes sleep apnea, and doctors, as part of the driver medical, are required to screen drivers for sleep apnea, and send them for testing if they feel a driver may have the condition. Studies are being commissioned by the FMCSA, and sometime in the future, it is quite possible to become a mandatory test for CMV drivers. Dr. Melissa Snider Adler will touch on what fatigue is, what sleep apnea is, how fatigue impacts one’s ability to perform safety sensitive duties, and how you can test for fatigue.
The ELD Mandate, are you ready?
As of December 18th of this year, any truck operating in the USA will be required to operate with an ELD. Those who have existing technology that is not compliant with the US standard, will have until December 16th of 2019 to come into compliance. Are you ready for the mandate? When will the mandate come into effect for Canadian only carriers? In this seminar, Mike Millian, the President of the PMTC, who has been involved with the consultations with Transport Canada on the upcoming ELD mandate for Canadian carriers, will bring attendee’s up to date on the ELD mandate, where the timelines sit, and what carriers need to know to ensure they are ready and compliant with the mandate on both sides of the border.
Register Now
Space is limited, so people are encouraged to register early by contacting Vanessa Cox at info@pmtc.ca. You can also register online at www.pmtc.ca.
Registration is just $50 for a PMTC and DriverCheck member, and $125.00 for a non-member. Location details will be provided upon registration.
Interested in Sponsoring?
Sponsors are also being welcomed and start at only $500.00, if you are interested in sponsoring the event, please contact Vanessa for details.
About Our Presenter
Dr. Melissa Snider-Adler, M.D., C.C.F.P., M.R.O. (AAMRO), D.A.B.A.M.:
Chief Medical Review Officer, DriverCheck Inc.
Dr. Snider-Adler is the Chief Medical Review Officer for DriverCheck. Her background is in family medicine, but now works primarily in the field of addiction medicine. She has been providing Opioid Agonist Therapy in multiple practice settings throughout Ontario for the last sixteen years. Dr. Snider-Adler is certified as a Medical Review Officer by the American Association of Medical Review Officers. She is also certified as a Physician Practicing Addiction Medicine by the American Board of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Snider-Adler is an Assistant Professor at Queen's University Department of Family Medicine. She was one of the authors of the 2011 Methadone Maintenance Treatment Program Standards and Clinical Guidelines and continues to work as a Peer Assessor for the College of Physician and Surgeons of Ontario where she also sits on the Methadone Assessors Committee. Dr. Snider-Adler gives talks across Canada to companies, physicians and the community about workplace substance abuse and addiction prevention and treatment.
