Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/482464
By submitting federal medical certification documents to the state where you're licensed, it becomes a part of the fed- eral system—allowing roadside officers to check drivers' medical certifications electronically—no matter what state they're in. These regulations make it tougher for drivers to forge their documents. "Prior to this coming into place, you had drivers making out their own medical cards and roadside law enforcement had no way of knowing if you had your physical or not," LaBrake says. Some drivers would present something that appeared to be valid but was really nothing more than a copy of the informa- tion off someone else's card with different dates. "Now, the certified medical examiner is registering online the physical has been done, and you're self-certifying with your state," LaBrake says. "It has almost eliminated a driver's ability to forge their documents." Even though drivers are no longer required to carry their cards, Wright and LaBrake still advise drivers to carry them just in case. "Mistakes can happen," Wright says. "So having that backup documentation can save you a lot of trouble in case your paperwork didn't get entered into the system correctly." It's an extra layer of protection, LaBrake adds. A card has the name of the certified examiner who performed the exam on the driver and his or her phone number. So if all else fails, an enforcement officer can call the examiner to verify the driver is medically certified. "It could possibly prevent a roadside violation that could put you out of service for not being medically certified," LaBrake says. While it feels like a lot has changed since 2012, much of the medical requirements for drivers have actually stayed the same. The physical requirements haven't changed. "It's not really that complicated of a deal," LaBrake says. "The FMCSA has required medical cards for at least 30 years. "It's just a change in the way things get done." WWJ Jennifer Strawn was the associate editor of Water Well Journal from 2004 to 2007. She is currently in the internal communications department at Nationwide in Columbus, Ohio. She can be reached at strawnj2 @gmail.com. Twitter @WaterWellJournl Manage Safety at Your Company A way to see to it your employees come home safely is with a properly organized safety program. The National Ground Water Association has published a program specifically for those working in the groundwater industry titled Model Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Manual. Go to the bookstore at NGWA's website at www.NGWA.org for more information. WWJ April 2015 17