America’s roads and highways can be dangerous no matter the weather, even for the most experienced drivers. Workers in the trucking industry face risks both on and off the road.

AIHA, the association for scientists and professionals committed to preserving and ensuring occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) in the workplace and community, has produced free resources to help trucking operators mitigate transportation-related hazards and protect their workforce. 

Trucking industry operators can now find resources or information about hiring OEHS professionals on a new webpage.

The trucking health and safety webpage also includes fact sheets, articles, and studies that address how OEHS professionals help mitigate occupational health risks, such as potential exposures to extreme heat, noise, and hazardous materials that could lead to acute or chronic health effects. 

Reducing Health Risks

OEHS professionals work with trucking safety experts to evaluate and reduce health risks at all stages of transportation that affect workers performing both driving and non-driving activities, from cranking dolly legs and climbing trailer ladders to opening and closing valves and assessing chemical spills for potential human contact and environmental impact.

Following this comprehensive assessment, OEHS professionals recommend risk mitigation strategies designed to prevent accidents and injuries from happening. Improving worker health and safety can reduce absenteeism and decrease turnover rates, resulting in a more efficient and productive workforce. 

“The trucking industry drives our economy in immeasurable ways,” said Donna S. Heidel, CIH, FAIHA, the president of AIHA.

“OEHS professionals can work with the industry safety standards set forth by OSHA and the Department of Transportation to evaluate and assess risks in order to protect the trucking industry’s most valuable resource—its employees,” she continued. “OEHS experts have the skillset, education, experience, and training to reduce and prevent risks to drivers and non-drivers alike.” 

Interested in learning more about safety? Work Truck released the 2022 Work Truck Safety Study: Rising Costs & Safety Focus. It details what's going on in work truck fleet safety today by surveying 105 respondents.