OSHA launches regional campaign to help prevent struck-by vehicle incidents

Kansas City, MO – A new regional outreach campaign aims to help prevent workplace struck-by vehicle incidents in four Plains states, OSHA recently announced.

The initiative intends to educate workers and employers about preventing struck-by injuries and fatalities caused by conventional traffic and passenger vehicles, forklifts, and other moving powered industrial equipment.

Launched by OSHA Region 7 – which covers Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska – the campaign was created because 14 percent of all workplace fatalities investigated by the regional office between 2008 and 2011 involved struck-by incidents, according to an agency press release. Educational materials from the campaign are available by contacting regional offices located in each state.

In related news, 68 percent of U.S. highway construction contractors had a motor vehicle crash into their work zone in the past year, a new survey (.pdf file) from the Arlington, VA-based Associated General Contractors of America found. Additionally, 66 percent of survey respondents believed better or more frequent safety training for workers would help reduce the number of work zone crashes, injuries and fatalities.