FMCSA Extends Work Hour Rules for Truck Drivers Involved in Transocean Oil Clean Up Efforts « Houston Accident Attorney | Texas Personal Injury Lawyer Houston

FMCSA Extends Work Hour Rules for Truck Drivers Involved in Transocean Oil Clean Up Efforts

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill cleanup efforts involve not just specialized marine equipment, but also the participation of hundreds of commercial motor trucks. These truck drivers have been busy transporting specialized equipment and other gear that are necessary for sealing the wellhead. The trucks are also transporting booms, gallons of chemical dispersants that are being used to prevent oil from reaching coastlines, oil containment equipment and a host of other materials and supplies that are necessary for the cleanup efforts. These drivers have been busy since the cleanup efforts began, once it became clear that the spill was no mere leak, but the biggest and most catastrophic oil spill in US history.

Just 10 days after the Transocean oil rig explosion, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued a waiver on the Hours of Service rules for commercial truck drivers involved in the cleanup efforts. The exemption was to be in place until May 14. Now, the agency has extended that waiver of HOS to May 30.

The rule comes in response to the emergency nature of the situation, and the frantic efforts to clean up the oil spill. Commercial truck drivers who are included in this exemption are required to have a copy of the declaration in their possession at all times.

As a Houston truck accident attorney, I must admit I’m more than a little concerned about the waiver on the Hours of Service rules. This means that these truck drivers may have to be on the roads for longer than the work hour rules currently allow. It means that truck drivers could be at on the road for more than 11 hours at a stretch, and this could expose them to the risk of fatigue and drowsiness.

You don’t want a truck driver at the helm of a massive rig carrying chemical dispersants, flammable materials and all kinds of other hazardous equipment, to be drowsy or fatigued. It is a major risk not just to the truck driver, but to other motorists around.

Our Houston maritime law firm has been heavily involved in all legal developments arising out of the Gulf of Mexico Transocean oil rig explosion of April 20. In fact, our maritime attorneys have dedicated extensive resources to help Transocean crew members understand their rights. We now have a new website dedicated to coverage of the Transocean offshore explosion and all litigation lawsuits arising from it. We also continue to update our numerous websites and blogs with Transocean-related apartments.