NPCC- Northern Plains Compliance Consulting

08/24/2026

Brake Safety Week is here (Aug 23–29, 2026)! Inspectors are zeroing in on brake drums and rotors — but the whole brake system matters. Spend a few extra minutes on pre-trip checks, address maintenance issues, and avoid roadside surprises. Safe brakes mean smoother operations and fewer penalties. Read more: https://wix.to/7DBoItG

Brake Safety Week is here, August 23–29, 2026, and commercial vehicle inspectors are putting extra attention on brake systems. This year’s focus is brake drums and rotors, but the rest of the system still matters too. Take a few extra minutes on pre-trips, check maintenance issues, and fix probl...

08/24/2026

Late summer roads bring heat, harvest traffic, and surprise hazards. Before your next trip, take 10 minutes to reset your vehicle: check the spare, secure ramps and chains, pack extra water and snacks, and refresh your first aid kit. Let someone know your route — a small prep can keep a minor problem from becoming a major emergency. Read more: https://wix.to/vKFNo37

Late summer means heat, harvest traffic, road crews, wildlife, trailers, and plenty of miles on rural roads. Before you head out, give your vehicle and equipment a quick safety reset. Check the spare tire, secure chains and ramps, pack extra water and snacks, upgrade that sad little first aid kit, a...

08/05/2026

Running a business is hard enough without trying to figure out where to start with safety and DOT compliance.

Maybe you’ve been meaning to tackle that “rainy day project” for months. Maybe you have binders full of paperwork but aren’t sure what’s missing. Or maybe you’re staring at step one… or step fifty… and just need someone to help make sense of it all.

That’s where I come in.

Sometimes the most valuable thing I can bring isn’t a stack of paperwork. It’s a fresh set of eyes, real operational experience, and a conversation about what makes the most sense for your business.

No judgment. No scare tactics. No trying to sell you things you don’t need.

Just practical, realistic guidance that fits your operation, your employees, and your budget.

Whether you need help with OSHA, DOT, safety programs, training, ISNetworld, Veriforce, Avetta, workers’ comp safety discounts, or simply figuring out what your next step should be, I’m always happy to have that first conversation.

You don’t have to tackle it alone.

And if you’re wondering… yes, I’m probably still the Feral Safety Lady crawling around your shop finding things everyone else walked past. 😄

📍Serving Montana and North Dakota
🌐 www.npccmt.com

07/29/2026

Spent yesterday and today doing LOTO training across 8 locations and honestly… this is exactly where the Feral Safety Lady thrives. 😆

Give me a shop, real equipment, real employees, real questions, and a little organized chaos over a quiet conference room any day.

That is the good stuff.

Doing training at the employees’ actual locations makes it way more relevant. We get to talk about their equipment, their energy sources, and their site-specific needs instead of pretending every facility looks the same in a PowerPoint. It leads to better discussions, more engagement, and training that actually means something once everyone goes back to work.

I love getting out of the conference room and into the shops where the real conversations happen. The interaction, the questions, the “well what about this machine?” moments… that is where the fun is and where the training really clicks.

Real operational training beats conference room safety all day long.

The Feral Safety Lady is much happier in steel toes than in a swivel chair. 🔒⚙️

07/13/2026

🥵 Well… Mother Nature chose violence this week. ☀️🔥

It’s the kind of hot where you question every life decision that led you to working outside.

The steering wheel is lava.
The seatbelt buckle is a branding iron.
The shop fan is just blowing around spicy air.
And if your truck doesn’t have A/C… we’re accepting thoughts and prayers. 😅

Jokes aside, this kind of heat is no joke.

A few reminders from your Feral Safety Lady:

💧 Drink water BEFORE you’re thirsty.
🌳 Shade is productive. Heat stroke is not.
👀 Check on your coworkers. Heat exhaustion sneaks up fast, and the toughest person on the crew is often the last one to admit they’re struggling.
🐶 Don’t forget your four-legged coworkers either. If the pavement is too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for their paws.
🧢 Light-colored clothing, sunscreen, and taking a few extra breaks can keep you working safely instead of ending your day in the ER.

Remember, heat exhaustion can turn into heat stroke faster than most people realize. If someone becomes confused, stops sweating, acts strangely, or loses consciousness, call 911 immediately while moving them to a cool place and beginning cooling measures.

Around here we don’t stop because it’s hot…

We just keep doing dangerous things safely. 😎

Stay hydrated. Look out for each other. Go home in one piece.

07/13/2026

🚨 Heads Up, Drivers! It’s CVSA Operation Safe Driver Week! 🚨

From July 12 through July 18, law enforcement across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico will be paying extra attention to unsafe driving behaviors during CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Week. This year’s focus is reckless, careless, and dangerous driving.

Whether you’re behind the wheel of a semi, a feed truck, a service pickup, or just headed to the lake, this week is a good reminder that safe driving isn’t about avoiding tickets. It’s about making it home.

👀 This week, expect enforcement for things like:
✅ Speeding
✅ Following too closely
✅ Distracted driving (put the phone down!)
✅ Improper lane changes
✅ Seat belt violations
✅ Fatigued driving
✅ Running traffic signals or stop signs
✅ Impaired driving

💡 Feral Safety Lady Tip:
Don’t drive differently because it’s “blitz week.” Drive the same way you should drive every week.

A few extra seconds of following distance won’t make you late…
But one bad decision can change your life forever.

To my trucking folks:
✔ Slow down through work zones.
✔ Leave yourself an out.
✔ Watch the four-wheelers… they’re often the unpredictable ones.
✔ Remember that every citation can impact your CDL, CSA scores, and your company’s safety record.

Stay safe, stay alert, and let’s give law enforcement absolutely nothing to write about this week.

Because the best roadside inspection is the one where everyone leaves smiling. 😎🚛

07/12/2026

With temperatures expected to climb this weekend, the potential for wildfires to start and spread quickly in our forests, grasslands, and parks is increased. As you make plans to enjoy Montana’s outdoors, help reduce the risk by taking a few simple precautions:

🔥 Never leave a campfire unattended and ensure it is cold to the touch before leaving.

🚗 Avoid parking or driving over dry grass and secure all chains on your vehicle. Hot vehicle components and dragging chains can ignite vegetation.

🚬 Properly dispose of ci******es and other smoking materials. Never toss them from a vehicle.

📍Check local fire restrictions. Conditions can change quickly, and some areas may prohibit campfires or debris burning.

Most wildfires are human-caused and even one small spark can have serious consequences during hot, dry weather. If you see smoke or fire, report it immediately to 9-1-1.

Make fire safety part of your plans. A few extra moments of prevention can help protect Montana’s communities, natural resources, and firefighters. Learn more about wildfire prevention and current fire restrictions at MTFireInfo.org

07/08/2026

Ag retailers, this one is worth paying attention to.
If your facility custom blends fertilizer, OSHA may expect SDS coverage for the finished blended product, not just the individual fertilizer ingredients.
That means the SDS for urea covers the urea. The SDS for potash covers the potash. But once those products are blended into a finished load, that blend may need its own SDS coverage or a defensible generic SDS family.
Citations related to this issue have recently happened, so this is not just a “someday compliance” topic anymore.
If you custom blend fertilizer, now is the time to start compiling supplier SDSs, reviewing your blend families, and making sure your HazCom program matches what is actually happening at the plant.

Need help sorting through it? Give me a call.
Read more: https://wix.to/Z86S2km

Custom fertilizer blending may create new SDS responsibilities for ag retailers under OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard. Supplier SDSs for individual ingredients may not be enough when a facility produces finished blended loads. With recent citations happening and HCS 2024 deadlines coming, now...

07/01/2026

Fourth of July weekend is for fireworks, campfires, grilling, and lake days — not ER visits. Take a few minutes to plan: check fire conditions, secure trailers, wear life jackets, designate a sober driver, and keep fireworks away from dry grass. Read practical tips to keep the celebration safe and fun: https://wix.to/BB7P3JH

Fourth of July weekend is made for fireworks, campfires, grilling, lake days, road trips, and a little controlled feral behavior. Before the fun kicks off, take a few minutes to plan ahead, check fire conditions, secure the trailer, wear the life jacket, keep a sober driver in charge, and keep the f...

06/26/2026

July is right around the corner, which means 2nd quarter is wrapping up and IFTA reporting is due July 31st.

Now is the time to start getting those miles and gallons accounted for, matched up, and counted up before the end-of-month paperwork panic shows up with a gas station receipt from April and a mystery trip nobody remembers.

If you need help getting your IFTA mileage, fuel gallons, trip reports, or records organized and ready to file, reach out to me.

Let’s get it cleaned up now so July 31st does not sneak up like a compliance raccoon in the glove box.