Health & Safety of

Truckers within the

United States

MaryAnn Garrahan, OSHA

NAFTA Land Transport Conference
San Antonio, Texas
May 31, 2002
 Today’s Presentation
 OSHA’s role in worker protection

 Common trucker injuries and OSHA

violations

 Federal OSHA standards & programs that

protect truckers

 Sources for OSHA information

 OSH Act
 Enacted in 1970

 Defines the purpose of OSHA regulations

 Defines what OSHA can do

 Contains the General Duty Clause

 Addresses OSHA jurisdiction

 OSHA Standards
 Found in Title 29 CFR

 Apply if employer has one or more

employees

 Most apply to the work operation, not just

the industry

 Most are performance-oriented

 Special Programs
 Ergonomics

 Hispanic Worker Outreach

 OSHA & DOT Jurisdiction
 DOT covers
– Commercial motor vehicles
– Safe design of trucks
– Physical requirements of drivers
 OSHA covers
– Safety & health hazards at terminals &
warehouses
– HAZMAT responses
 OSHA & State Plans
 Federal OSHA:
– 34 States & territories
– Federal OSHA standards
 State Plans:
– 23 States & territories
– State Plan standards or use Federal OSHA
standards
– Must provide equal or greater protection
 Common Trucker Injuries
 Strains & sprains (50%)
 Bruises
 Fractures
 Cuts & lacerations
 Soreness/pain
 Multiple traumatic injuries
Events or Exposures Leading to
Trucker Injury
 Overexertion

 Contact with objects or equipment

 Being struck by an object

 Falling (on the same level)

 Transportation accidents
 Serious Violations Cited
1997-2001

 Improper guarding of grinding machinery

 Lack of eyewashes & showers
 Unsafe forklifts
 Grounding of electrical equipment
 Lack of personal protective equipment
 No guardrails on platforms or
loading docks
 How OSHA Addresses
Trucker Hazards
 Standards
 Ergonomics Program
 Complaint Handling
 Outreach
 OSHA Standards Address...
 Loading & unloading
 Vehicle maintenance
 Other terminal & warehouse activities
 Emergency response
 Ergonomics Program Offers...
 Ergonomics reports from OSHA inspections
in trucking industry
 Frequently-asked questions & OSHA
answers
 Complaint Program Offers...
 Easy ways to file complaints
– OSHA website
– OSHA 800 number
– Letter
 Confidentiality of complainant
 Policies & procedures in OSHA
Instruction CPL 2.115 (OSHA
website)
 OSHA Outreach Includes...
 Training materials
 Publications
– materials in Spanish
 Consultation program
 Sources of Information
 OSHA website
www.osha.gov
 OSHA offices
Organized by Regions & Area Offices
 OSHA toll-free hotline
1-800-321-OSHA
 Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration
www.fmcsa.dot.gov
1-800-DOT-SAFT
 Conclusions
 OSHA focuses on safe & healthful working
conditions
 Employers must comply with standards
 Special Ergonomics Program addresses
key source of injuries
 There are multiple sources of information
& assistance
www.fmcsa.dot.gov