According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death at work. The highest rate of fatal work-related crashes occurs in the transportation, communications, and public utilities industries, but employees who drive on the job in any industry are at risk. Thus, if your employees get behind the wheel at work, it’s critical for you to do all that you can to help reduce the risk of crashes.
Who’s at Risk?
Based on data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, NIOSH reports that between 1992 and 2001, there were 13,337 deaths in the civilian work force from job-related motor vehicle crashes. Men accounted for 89 percent of those fatalities. What’s more, fatality rates went up sharply beginning at age 55, and the highest rate was for employees age 75 and older.
From 1997 to 2002, the data shows, there were 5,798 worker deaths from motor vehicle crashes. And 56 percent of fatally injured workers were not wearing a seat belt or had no seat belt available.
What types of crashes are the most common causes of death? NIOSH reports that the leading cause (49 percent) was collisions between vehicles, followed by single-vehicle incidents such as rollovers (26 percent), and crashes between a vehicle and a stationary object on the roadside (18 percent).
10-Point Crash-Prevention Program
To help prevent crash-related employee deaths, NIOSH recommends that employers establish and enforce a workplace driver safety program. Here are the key elements of a driver safety program:
- Designate a management team member to take responsibility for setting up and enforcing a driver safety policy.
- Require employees to use seat belts at all times while in a vehicle used on the job.
- Research and select vehicles that provide high levels of occupant protection.
- Maintain complete and accurate records of employee driving performance.
- Instruct employees that driving requires their full attention, and that they should avoid placing or taking cell phone calls while operating a vehicle.
- Make sure work schedules allow adequate time for employees to make deliveries or visit clients without violating traffic laws or safety regulations.
- Verify that employees are properly licensed to drive the vehicles they’re assigned to.
- Ensure employees are thoroughly trained to operate the vehicles.
- Provide employees with a safe-driving checklist. (See the related article, below.)
- Maintain your vehicles. This could include implementing a comprehensive vehicle maintenance program with pre-trip inspections, immediate withdrawal from service of vehicles with mechanical defects, and regularly scheduled withdrawal of vehicles for comprehensive inspection and maintenance.
For More Information
For more information on preventing work-related vehicle crashes, visit NIOSH on the web at www.cdc.gov/niosh.