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The Major Safety Hazards for Truckers and How to Prevent Them

By Safeopedia Staff
Last updated: July 3, 2024
Key Takeaways

Road accidents aren’t the only safety issue truck drivers face.

While many industries have become safer over time, recent data suggests that trucking is actually becoming deadlier.

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In 2017, 1,300 truckers lost their lives in motor vehicle accidents, compared with 752 fatalities just five years prior. And since they’re driving the biggest vehicles on the road, the number of non-trucker deaths in these accidents is even higher.

Approximately 65,000 truckers also suffered a lost time injury or illness in 2012, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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While it’s impossible to control the road conditions truckers have to navigate through, many of these accidents and injuries were entirely preventable. In this article, we’ll go over the hazards that put truckers at risk and what steps you can take to keep truckers safe on the job.

Who Counts as a Driver or Trucker?

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), a truck driver or trucker is any worker who drives a truck with a capacity of more than 3 tons in order to transport materials to and from a specified destination. Truckers may also do jobs to keep the truck in working order.

What Are Some of the Common Trucker Injuries?

Truckers experience a number of different non-fatal incidents while driving their unloading, or preparing and inspecting their vehicles. These include:

  • Strains and sprains
  • Fractures
  • Cuts and lacerations
  • Ergonomic injuries (soreness and pain)
  • Multiple traumatic injuries

What Events Lead to Trucker Injuries?

Four types of injures are especially concerning for truckers.

Transportation Accidents

This is the most obvious one. Truckers get behind the wheel of heavy vehicles that are difficult to maneuver and have large blind spots, and they do so for hours on end.

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Road accidents, vehicle crashes, night driving, icy roads, and difficult weather are concerns for anyone out on a drive. But the risks are multiplied when a truck is involved.

Ergonomic Injuries

By now, we all know that sitting all day is tough on your body. Well, that’s exactly what trucking involves. And unlike office workers, they can’t get up every 15 minutes to stretch their legs – not when they’re in the middle of heavy highway traffic.

Truckers also have to keep their hands on the wheel, which means can result in additional discomfort.

Add the fact that they have to assist in loading and unloading the cargo they transport and you can start to see why truckers often get home with back pain, sore legs, and aching arms.

(Learn about the Top 5 Ways to End Up With a Musculoskeletal Disorder)

Field Repairs

Many truckers have to double as field mechanics. When their rig runs into some minor trouble and there’s no truck mechanic for miles, it’s often up to them to diagnose the issue and get the truck up and running again.

This type of field repair comes with its own set of hazards, however. Workers can slip and fall on the slippery road. They’re at risk from cars zooming past them. Ergonomic injuries can happen when they’re bending or getting in uncomfortable positions to get under the truck or reach different components of it.

Falls

Stepping in and out of a car is a breeze. But getting in and out of a transport truck is a hazard.

The doors aren’t close to the ground. And although there is a step to assist the driver, it doesn’t entirely eliminate the risk. Climbing into the cab or getting down from it can still result in an injurious fall.

1. Accident Hazards

  • Fire or explosion caused by hazardous cargo
  • Acute poisoning from carbon monoxide and other exhaust gases
  • Increased risk of vehicular accidents from fatigue or inattention, especially for long-haul truck drivers
  • Falls from the cabin, ladder, or trailer
  • Being crushed between trailers while trying to disengage one from the other
  • Injuries due to physical overexertion (for example, when moving heavy pieces of cargo)

(Learn more about Distraction, Fatigue, and Impairment.)

2. Physical Hazards

  • Prolonged exposure to engine noise greater than 80 dBA can result in immediate, severe headaches, as well as hearing loss in the long term
  • Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation
  • Exposure to extreme heat or cold weather conditions
  • Whole-body vibrations may impair musculoskeletal functions and contribute to fatigue

3. Chemical Hazards

  • Exposure to toxic substances while transporting hazardous cargo
  • Chronic health effects caused by the inhalation of exhaust fumes
  • Inhalation of dust (for example, when driving on desert roads)

4. Biological Hazards

  • Risk of infection or contamination from biologically hazardous cargo

5. Ergonomic Hazards

  • Prolonged driving in uncomfortable postures can increase the risk of lower back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders
  • Visual discomfort caused by eye strain when driving on dark or poorly illuminated roads

6. Psychosocial Hazards

  • Threats or violence (from thieves targeting valuable cargo, for example, or from altercations at rest stops)
  • Stress and psychosocial discomfort due to isolation, absence from home and family life, and the possibility of receiving unwelcome orders while on the road

(Find out How to Improve Lone Worker Safety)

Safety Measures to Keep Truckers Safe on the Job

Employers must have a safety program in place for truck drivers, that includes but is not limited to:

  • Providing safety training for all drivers
  • Conducting regular inspection and scheduled maintenance of trucks
  • Supplying each trucker with adequate tools and protective equipment to service vehicles safely
  • Ensuring that each truck has a well-stocked first aid kit
  • Maintaining open channels of communication with drivers, typically via radio
  • Scheduled days off to limit the number of uninterrupted days truckers spend on the road
  • Instituting thorough and compliant procedures for loading, transporting, and unloading hazardous cargo

While employers are largely responsible for ensuring the safety of their employees, there are steps truckers can take to improve their safety on the job:

  • Use safe lifting techniques when handling cargo, including the use of mechanical lifting aids when possible
  • Avoid spending time near the vehicle’s exhaust fumes
  • Switch off engine when parked, especially when in an enclosed area
  • Chock the wheels of the vehicle before undertaking field repairs
  • Wear appropriate personal protective clothing, such as steel-toed boots or chemical-resistant gloves when handling hazardous cargo
  • Ask your employer to install an ergonomically designed driver’s seat
  • Never skip a break – give your body short, frequent periods of rest during long hauls
  • Ask your employer to provide you with a personal alarm so you can summon help when needed

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Written by Safeopedia Staff

Safeopedia Staff

At Safeopedia, we think safety professionals are unsung superheroes in many workplaces. We aim to support and celebrate these professionals and the work they do by providing easy access to occupational health and safety information, and by reinforcing safe work practices.

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