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Terminal, yard, and customer site slip, trip and fall injuries to drivers.

Washington State Department of Labor and Industries

Olympia, WA: Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, 90-6-2007, 2007 May; :1

https://lni.wa.gov/dA/a3220af09e/KeepItClean.pdf

20044443

A muddy pothole, the parking block, ice or snow near the truck are all conditions that could cause a slip, trip or fall. You can find these hazards anywhere -- truck stops, rest areas, weigh stations, customer locations, as well as your home terminal. If a driver takes a tumble, the injury could be serious. Here are two summaries of injuries sustained by Washington State truck drivers while walking in and around areas like these.1. Shoulder injury: A 49-year-old truck driver walking across the company lot to his truck slipped on ice and landed on his right shoulder. The severe injury required surgery. Fourteen months later and following physical therapy, the driver was still using pain medication and did not have full range of movement in his shoulder. A physician determined that range of movement was reduced by 15 percent in the partially frozen shoulder, which was now vulnerable to further injury. This driver was unable to return to his job because it required heavy lifting. 2. Elbow injury: A 36-year-old truck driver walking across the company parking lot stepped into a pothole. He tripped, fell on his elbow and fractured it. He tried to go back to work, but found job activities such as using his truck's gear shift extremely painful. His injury required surgery and physical therapy to help restore the full range of movement. He was unable to work for three months. A series of work-related safety and health injury prevention tips for the trucking industry The driver should be watching for potholes in this wet gravel yard. Not cleaning off mud on his boot sole is a slip hazard for climbing into the cab. How can you prevent similar incidents? 1. Everyone: Use your eyes to sweep your walk path looking for: a. Uneven surfaces b. Puddles of water or other slippery surfaces, c.Trip hazards such as curbs or parking blocks 2. Provide and maintain adequate lighting. 3. Maintain terminal yard and dock areas so that surfaces are even and free of slip and trip hazards, such as potholes, ice, snow, rubbish, or liquid spills. 4. Encourage drivers to report customer delivery site fall hazard conditions they are exposed to. Alert customers to unsafe conditions at their site. 5. Drivers: Wear footwear suitable for the job. 6. Drivers: Use three points contact for truck/trailer entry/exit. 7. Keep a clean dock area or tractor/trailer. Dispose of debris.

Injuries; Injury-prevention; Workers; Work-environment; Humans; Men; Women; Exposure-levels; Risk-factors; Training; Education; Trucking; Drivers; Fall-protection; Personal-protection; Safety-practices; Safety-measures; Safety-education; Hazards

SHARP Program, Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, PO Box 44330, Olympia, WA 98504-4330

20070529

Other

Edww235@LNI.wa.gov

Cooperative Agreement

2007

Cooperative-Agreement-Number-U60-OH-008487

Terminal, yard, and customer site slip, trip and fall injuries to drivers

WA

Washington State Department of Labor and Industries