Strains, sprains most common injuries among Washington state truckers: report

Olympia, WA – Strains, sprains and overexertion injuries are the most common causes for workers’ compensation claims in the trucking industry in Washington state, according to a report from the state’s Department of Labor and Industries.

Researchers analyzed data from 2006 to 2012 to determine trends in injury types and costs associated with the state’s trucking industry. In addition to strains, sprains and overexertion, injuries stemmed from falls from elevation, falls from the same level, struck by or against incidents, and vehicle crashes.

The report offered dozens of injury prevention tips that employers can implement to protect their workers, including:

• Encourage drivers to report hazardous conditions at customer sites.
• Follow up with the customer if a driver is injured at a customer site to ensure the same thing does not happen again.
• Maintain terminal yard and dock areas so they are free of slip and trip hazards.
• Clearly mark floor transitions at dock edges.
• Have truck drivers hand over keys while loading is taking place.
• Invest in cabs with adequate hand-holds for drivers climbing in or out, and provide trailers with hand-holds on both sides to prevent awkward twisting.