Hazard alert raises awareness on runover and backover deaths

Portland, OR — In an effort to prevent worker deaths and injuries stemming from runover and backover incidents, the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences has issued a hazard alert.

The institute says most of the state’s 16 worker deaths related to such incidents since 2018 were tied to large vehicles commonly used in transportation and construction. Six of the cases involved the worker being hit by their own vehicle after exiting it.

Using 2018-2021 data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, OIOHS notes that 277 U.S. workers died after being run or backed over by a vehicle in roadway and non-roadway areas.

Safety tips include:

• Assign spotters to watch out for workers near vehicles with obstructed views.
• Ensure spotters and drivers agree on and understand signals before backing up.
• Equip large vehicles with cameras or sound sensors to warn drivers when something appears in the vehicle’s blind spots.
• Engage the parking brake before exiting the vehicle.
• When exiting the vehicle, only go under or behind it when the parking brake is working and the vehicle is on even ground.
• Use wheel chocks to prevent unexpected vehicle movement.