It Really Happened: Traction Slips When Distraction Grips

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  Washington (State). Department of Labor and Industries
• Description:
  A 28-year old straight truck driver badly hurt her ankle when she slipped from a cargo box. The driver's job required climbing up and down from a cargo box all day to deliver goods. During a stop, the driver got in the box and moved some freight near the door to load onto a hand truck parked on the ground. When she stepped down from the rear deck she became distracted, lost footing, and slipped off. She landed with the full force of her weight on her left ankle. The ankle twisted and swelled up in sharp pain. An MRI showed ligament damage in the driver's sprained ankle. The ankle continued to ache and feel weak after many doctors' visits, injections, and surgery. Medically restricted from truck driving work, the driver took a job as a retail cashier, anxious for her ankle to heal sooner. Nearly two years later, the injured driver must still use a rigid ankle brace and is unable to operate a truck. TIPS TO LIVE BY: Management: Install slip resistant coating on cargo box decks, liftgate platforms, and trailer steps. Provide refresher training during safety meetings for drivers on how to climb cargo box decks or trailers. Perform job hazard assessments that identify injury risks and prevention solutions for climbing trucking equipment. Drivers: Stay focused when climbing up or down from a cargo box deck or trailer steps. Make sure cargo box grab handles, deck, and steps are securely mounted, clean, and serviceable. Use 3-points of contact facing vehicle, holding firmly onto grab handles, gaining stable, balanced footing, and climbing all steps. Wear slip-resistant work boots and check treads regularly. All Employees: Actively look for hazards and share injury prevention ideas with management. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Accidental Falls Accidents Musculoskeletal Diseases Musculoskeletal System Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Safety
• Keywords:
  Equipment Maintenance Equipment Reliability Fall Protection Falls Hazards Injuries MSD Musculoskeletal Disorders Musculoskeletal System Disorders Personal Protection Personal Protective Equipment PPE Slips, Trips, And Falls STF Traumatic Injuries Truck Drivers Trucking

  More +
• Publisher:
  Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Report
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 10 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20058240
• Citation:
  Olympia, WA: Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, 90-190-2019, 2019 May; :1
• Contact Point Address:
  SHARP Program, Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, PO Box 44330, Olympia, WA 98504-4330
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2019
• Performing Organization:
  Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  It really happened: traction slips when distraction grips
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:1adfe84ae9bfd2ebb959dc8356c564fe60af921034edc81b960a2d25d15147f93d029e4d8402c784e8b5181d82c69341f9fc88b70366683c5a2105896e9270aa
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/221371/cdc_221371_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 589.71 KB ]