{"id":2084,"date":"2019-05-24T01:59:01","date_gmt":"2019-05-24T01:59:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quicktransportsolutions.com\/blog\/?p=2084"},"modified":"2019-05-24T01:59:04","modified_gmt":"2019-05-24T01:59:04","slug":"preventing-workplace-injuries-in-the-yard-and-on-the-road","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quicktransportsolutions.com\/blog\/preventing-workplace-injuries-in-the-yard-and-on-the-road\/","title":{"rendered":"Preventing Workplace Injuries in the Yard and on the Road"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The trucking industry does not need to be a hazardous profession, even if it sometimes is. Before truck drivers even enter the cab of their vehicle, there are workplace hazards to watch out for. While it is important that fleets focus on increasing road safety, there are plenty of risks to a truck driver when they are not behind the wheel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In fact, did you know that slips, trips, and falls are\nroutinely the most overlooked threat to a truck driver\u2019s health? According to Bureau\nof Labor Statistics data<\/a>, in 2017, 27% of injuries in the transportation\nindustry came from simple slips and falls, whereas only 17% were a result of a road\naccident or collision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trucking companies who want to keep their truck drivers safe\nand reduce lost-time accidents and injuries need to focus more on what is going\non in the yard than the truck. With a little time, investment, and common\nsense, most injuries can be prevented. But how?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Safety Considerations\nin the Yard<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obviously, a truck driver\u2019s feet are one of the most\nimportant parts of their body when it comes to getting the job done. Whether it\nbe climbing in and out of the cab, walking around the yard, or accelerating and\nbraking, feet are critical to getting the job done. Are you providing a shoe\nallowance for your truck drivers? Do you have a policy in place to ensure your\ntruck drivers are wearing steel-toed ANSI-certified safety shows? As trucking\ncompanies attempt to attract the best and brightest truck drivers, benefits\nlike a simple shoe allowance go a long way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to investing in your truck drivers\u2019 feet, you\nmust always invest in your equipment. If your equipment is not properly\nmaintained, slips and falls can occur. It is also important that you have\nbuy-in from your truck drivers when it comes to reporting defects or other\nproblems that could result in a workplace injury. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most common safety problems among truck drivers\nis the habit of jumping from the backs of trailers, loading docks or cabs.\nWhile it may seem like a short distance to the naked eye, injuries often occur\nwhen a truck driver decides to jump. Even more, the higher up the jump is from,\nthe greater the impact your body must absorb. Your joints and lower back take a\nlot of punishment when you jump. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even something as simple as a safety vest can make a big impact. Truck drivers wearing a safety vest don\u2019t have to climb in and out of a cab with something in their hands. Yet, far too few fleets invest in safety vests for their truck drivers. Pockets are simple and often taken for granted, but they are incredibly useful when a truck driver needs both hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The common rule of thumb for truck drivers is to maintain\nthree points of contact when climbing into a vehicle: Two hands and one foot or\none hand and two feet. But if a driver is carrying a tool, phone, or otherwise,\nmaintaining three points of contact may be difficult. This is where safety\nvests and pockets come in. It is about more than convenience; it is about\nsafety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And while truck drivers are well aware of how water and ice\ncan make driving treacherous, it can be just as problematic for shoes. Puddles\nof water can be quite hazardous, simply because it isn\u2019t always easy to tell\nhow deep the puddle is. It is also sometimes difficult to tell if ice is frozen\nover a walkway. Some of the most common back injuries occur when someone\u2019s feet\nfly out from under them on an icy walkway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For all these reasons, safety shoes with proper treads and\ngood grip is essential. But the person wearing the shoes must also be aware of\nthe conditions around them. If the temperature is cold or it is raining, truck\ndrivers need to be careful on metal surfaces and docks. Ice often lurks beneath\nsnow, so proper winter shoes or boots prevent slips and falls when the surface\nof the snow is breached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond water and ice, truck drivers must also be aware of\nslippery substances, such as oil and grease. There are plenty of slippery substances\naround the yard that can wind up on shoes, boots, clothing, and hands. Fleet\nmanagers must have a policy in place to keep the yard and site clean and clear\nof slipper substances and truck drivers must always be on the lookout for\nsomething that could cause a slip and fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While ladders and fall arrest harnesses are great, if they\nare used improperly or in need of repair, they can be just as much of a problem\nas a fall itself. Take fall arrest harnesses as one example. They must be\nroutinely inspected and worn correctly. Improperly worn harnesses can not only\nnot arrest a fall but can cause injury themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Truck drivers and fleet managers must work together to\nensure safety equipment is properly used. Truck drivers must be able to\ndemonstrate this fact and work with a qualified trainer to provide feedback.\nEven something as simple as a ladder can be misused. It may seem rudimentary to\ndiscuss ladder use with your truck drivers, but it is no less important. If a\nladder buckles and someone falls, injury awaits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bottom line is this: slips, trips and falls cause\ninjury. Period. If you want to keep your company injury-free, you will need to\npartner with them to keep them safe. You need to educate them on how to reduce\nrisks and \u2013 most importantly \u2013 you need to put your money where your mouth is\nand invest in products and services that help your employees avoid injury. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Safety\nConsiderations on the Road<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yard safety is important, but the fact is your truck drivers\nspend a lot of time out on the road. No matter the fleet, the number one goal\nis always to reduce the number of preventable accidents as much as possible.\nFleet managers must take a proactive approach to reducing and preventable\naccidents. But how do they do that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first step towards reducing preventable accidents is to\ntake a professional and proactive approach to on-road safety. It may sound\nsimplistic, but the easiest way to reduce costs related to accidents is to\nreduce the number of accidents that occur in the first place. The best way to\ndo that is to provide consistent and comprehensive safety training. Motor\ncarriers must demonstrate a commitment to on-road safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While many fleets provide a safety-first message, they often\nfail to provide consistent training to reinforce the message. Having a\nsafety-first mindset is about more than just talk. Fleets must back up their\nwords with verifiable actions. They must also focus on the one thing that often\ncauses most at-fault on-road accidents: Truck driver behavior. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where technology comes in. Fleets must be able to\ncapture real-time data on how their vehicles and truck drivers are operating.\nWhether it be through a telematics\nand fleet management product<\/a> or simple coaching, fleet managers must have\ntheir finger on the pulse of how their fleet is doing. Companies should also\nmake sure violations under review align with a driver-enforced policy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And while telematics and other safety-first technologies are\nimportant, they are less effective when there is no multi-faceted truck driver\nsafety program in place. In order to properly mitigate risk and reduce the\nnumber of accidents, fleets must include the following elements into their\ncomprehensive safety program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n