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Peer reviewed journals

Work related injuries in Washington State's Trucking Industry, by industry sector and occupation.
Smith C. Williams J. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 2014. Click here for the complete article. Or for the short version, here are the research findings.

 

Assessment of perceived injury risks and priorities among truck drivers and trucking companies in Washington State.
Spielholz, P. et. al. Journal of Safety Research, 2008. Click here for the complete article.

 


The information provided on the linked sites is solely the view of the authors and does not reflect the official views of SHARP and / or L&I.

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Revive your safety training with the interactive tools below

Transfer trailer safety
This course teaches prevention of common traumatic injuries in the paving industry.
Fall from ladder


What is safety climate?
Safety climate is the new catch phrase in occupational safety circles. But what is it? And what does it mean to your company? Find out in this 5 minute training:
What is safety climate?


Prevent falls from ladders
Based on the true story of a driver painfully injured from rushing down a ladder.
Fall from ladder


Fatal crush
Use this true story to prevent similar incidents
Crush Prevention


Chaining up
Find the safety gear that the driver is using!
Chain up


Lever vs. Ratchet
Is there really a good reason to switch from a tool that has gotten the job done for years?
Load binders


Tarping
Lifting heavy items can cause injuries to your back and shoulders over time. The driver demonstrates the pros and cons of getting the tarp on the flatbed.

Tarping



Prevent slips
Slips, trips and falls cause many injuries in trucking. Changes in footwear, tasks and environment matter. Test your knowledge by clicking the slip simulation below.
Friction simulation


Jump Force
Know the forces involved in exiting your truck cab or trailer. Try our force simulator: Click here to access..
exit game




Partner news

How Do You Develop a Successful Safety Training? Published by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, April 2015.
TIRES: Helping to Reduce Work Related Injuries in the Commercial Trucking Industries Published in Northwest Transporter, Vol 16, Issue 1, Winter 2013.
Don't Jump! Published in Transport Topics Online, November 2011.
Risk - Part of the Job? (85 KB) Published in The Route, September 2010.
Even on Foot, Trucking is Risky Business Published in Transport Topics Online, June 2009.

Health Issues



Dealing with stress at work

Stress affects all of us. It can be caused by the guy who cut you off in traffic or by long-term concerns, such as a serious illness in the family or financial strain. Fortunately you have many ways to manage stress.

 

 

Companies can also help their workers deal with life’s stressors. Support for flexible work schedules can decrease conflicts in work/life balance. When possible, allow employees to control their schedule, both the time spent at work and how they allocate their time while working. Encourage frequent exercise breaks for those with sedentary jobs and rest breaks for those who do physical labor.

 

Co-workers can add to stress or help one another cope. Recognize that your team member may be under stress and do what you can to help.

 

As corny as it sounds — smiles are contagious. Pass them around.

Dealing with stress in the workplace (119 KB)


Sleep Apnea - The diagnosis that can change your life

Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition in which a person stops breathing during sleep - sometimes up to several hundred times a night. Episodes are followed by fragmented, restless sleep. This can cause excessive daytime sleepiness and can lead to serious health conditions including congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, or stroke.

 

Untreated obstructive sleep apnea can cause a person to fall asleep while performing work activities such as driving. It's a dreaded diagnosis among many truck drivers, one that they assume will change their life. They may be surprised to find that the diagnosis can change their life for the better.

 

Dennis, a long-time truck driver, shares how this diagnosis has affected his life. "Before my diagnosis with sleep apnea, I thought it was just part of the job to feel tired all the time. I never knew what a good night's sleep was. Now that I sleep with a CPAP machine, I feel good, rested and ready to attack the day." Dennis noted that his symptoms also included night-time acid reflux and snoring.

 

Some common symptoms of sleep apnea include: loud snoring, labored breathing during sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, or difficulty concentrating. Although obstructive sleep apnea seems to be more common in obese men, 40% of the people diagnosed are not obese.


According to the MedLine Plus library:

"A person with obstructive sleep apnea usually snores heavily soon after falling asleep. The snoring continues at a regular pace for a period of time, often becoming louder, but is then interrupted by a long silent period during which there is no breathing. This is followed by a loud snort and gasp, and the snoring returns. This pattern repeats frequently throughout the night."

 

If you have any of these symptoms, or have been told by your sleep partner that you do, see your doctor immediately. You could be a danger to yourself and others on the road.

 

Treatment for sleep apnea can be fairly simple and ranges from lifestyle changes to sleeping with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine (you'd be surprised how many people do.)

Recovery can be life changing. You may not remember ever feeling better.

 

More information on sleep apnea.

 

Recent research findings

Treating Sleep Apnea in Truck Drivers Cuts Health Costs, Disability Rates


Resources

Long-Haul Truck Drivers: Obesity can take you off the road. Click to view infographic developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (451 KB PDF).

Biking to stay active on the road. Click to read article from TruckerNews.com.

Click to link to Healthy Trucking Association of America

Click to link to the Healthy Trucker website

Click to link to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Healthy Living