DOT is cracking down on distracted drivers and Agency head Ray Lahood recently announced new measures, including one that bands texting by commercial drivers.

Violators beware; fines for commercial driver texting are up to $2,700.00

As we approach the 2010 fireworks season there have been some updates for new opportunities for selling fireworks in our state. Some cities and counties have opened their markets for us to utilize in the upcoming season. Here is a list of a few that I know of:

 

Russell

Larned

Seneca

Hays

Abilene

The county of Saline

 

These locations are great new opportunities for us to reach out and expand our retail fireworks operations. Please make sure to check with all local authorities on permits and requirements before planning your stand.

 

By the time you read this it will have been accomplished: the immensely popular TV show

( Dirty Jobs) will air a segment on Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 9 p.m. on the Discovery Channel that shows their visit to Littlr Big Shots in Addison, Pennsylvania. Little Big Shots' owner

Al knoblach said that he contacted the show two years ago about the possibility of featuring his organization and that the actual filming was done last March.

 

The show's star Mike Rowe was unable to wear a respirator mask during the filming because he had to talk. Al said he expects to hear from other fireworks companies about the company's "inproper use of safety equipment". The production crew began on Monday, with the camera crew begining on Wednesday. Then on Thursady the star arrived and worked from 10 a.m. untill midnight to get the filming done.

 

to sum it all up " The fireworks business is funny"

County commissioners are in a debate over opening the" sale and the use of fireworks" in the county. After being overwhelmed with E-mails and phone calls and beat up at a public comment session. It's begining to dawn on them that they should go with the state standard.

 

Stay tune in for more as the commissioners will meet again after the new year.

The CPSC held a public hearing on November 10 on the implementation of it's consumer product safety incident database which would allow the public to report injuries or incidents

resulting from a regulated consumer product. To get more infromation go to www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/dbmeeting.aspx

 

The U.S. Department of Transportation has alerted the industry of concerns regarding the transportation of consumer fireworks by both nonprofit and for-profit groups selling fireworks.

 

The Highway patrol has reviewed shipping documents of numerous transactions involving

transportation of consumer fireworks, by nonprofit/profit groups, that the agencies believe

were not in compliance with approprate DOT hazardous materials transportation rules.

 

If your groups sells fireworks for a fundraising or for profit activities, the transportation of  the consumer fireworks is considered " in commerce" and are under the jurisdiction of the DOT and must comply with the hazmat rules.

 

If a shipment of 1.4G fireworks exceeds 1,000 lbs gross weight, the transportation of the shipment must.

 

1. be in proper commercial vehicle,

2. be operated by a CDL hazmat driver,

3. be properly placarded,

4. have proper shipping documents,

5. be properly loaded, including blocking and bracing

 

Please familiarize yourself with the DOT hazmat rules.