Central and eastern sections of the U.S. have experienced snowfall and in some areas record cold over the last day or so. In a few locations, the temperatures have been so low that it has become dangerous to even be outside. However many government workers who provide essential services like police, fire, and snow removal still…
Tag: safety
Paying the Price of Football 30 Years Later
After watching two examples of extreme unnecessary roughness that appeared to risk permanent injury to two kids at a high school football game last night, I finally decided it was time to write a post about football and what it means to public works. Because our field is still very dependent on physical labor, it probably isn't…
Using Social Media to Promote Safety Around Trains
Melbourne Metro, a transit service based in Australia, has been successfully using social media to educate the public about safety around trains. Last year they produced this video called Dumb Ways to Die starring a cast of cute little characters and a catchy tune. And now Melbourne Metro has released a game related to the video's theme. You…
April’s Recommended Reading List for Civil Engineers
Lately quite a few good resources have shown up in my email. So I've compiled a reading list for this month to showcase these new releases. The first publication I'd like to recommend is: Minimizing Traffic-Related Work Zone Crashes in Illinois by The Illinois Center for Transportation at the University of Illinois If you are…
Winter Safety Game in Second Life
The other day my friend, LuAnn Strine Phillips, posted a link on Facebook to a project she's been working on: a winter safety game created in Second Life. (LuAnn said, "This virtual learning environment is sponsored by the Cooperative Extension through its eXtension Initiative.") Since cold weather safety is important to public works professionals, I visited her…
A Day in the Life of a Civil Engineer – Day 24
Day 24 Safety Meeting Today was the first Thursday of the month and that means safety meeting day! The whole public works staff attends the monthly safety meeting, and the topic today was backhoe safety. If I get a chance I'll put up a post on it later this week because it was interesting and…
Free Highway Design Software!
Hey all you designers of two-lane highways! Get your free download of the 2008 Interactive Highway Safety Design Model (IHSDM). Brought to you by your friendly Federal Highway Administration. The site does require you to register for approval. Information required for registration includes your name, title organizational affiliation, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone number, and…