Without question, slips and falls account for a great number of injuries among truck drivers. Among these slip and fall injuries, falls while getting out of a truck are the most prevalent. In fact, some estimates suggest that 25% or more of all work-related injuries in the trucking industry are slips and falls from stationary vehicles.
The traditional approach has been to either do nothing (believing that these accidents just happen and that there is nothing that can be done to prevent drivers from occasionally slipping and falling from their unit), or to routinely remind drivers to maintain “3 points of contact” when getting in and out of their truck. Of course the latter is preferable. But is it effective? Have the companies that repeatedly tout “3 points of contact” eliminated (or even reduced) falls from trucks to any noticeable degree? The truth is that the “3 points of contact” message is not a “silver bullet.” Beyond that, drivers simply tire of hearing it over and over? 
Just as the advise, “Lift with your legs, not your back” has become such a cliché that it discounted as a trite and almost meaningless statement, so has “Maintain 3 points of contact” become a cliché for preventing falls from trucks.
It is time… in fact it is past time for this problem to be addressed from an additional angle. Whenever a driver slips, there is a loss of traction between two surfaces, the sole of his/her footwear and some other surface (i.e. truck step, dock plate, ICC bumper, catwalk, etc.). Therefore, before attempting to address the other surfaces (some of which are beyond your control as a safety director) it makes sense to make every reasonable attempt to ensure that the footwear worn by the driver provides optimal traction.
The first step is to come to the realization that you, as the employer or safety director have right (and arguably the obligation) to dictate the footwear worn by drivers. The contention that drivers are able to disregard a company policy and wear whatever footwear they want to wear while on the road is a common argument against having a footwear policy. However, such an argument is weak, as it could be applied to virtually any safety management effort in the trucking industry (i.e. “We don’t promote 3 points of contact because the drivers can do whatever they want when they are on the road, and we will never know.)
The second step is to define and ban footwear that increases the risk of slips and trips. This would include slick-sole traditional cowboy boots, sandals, or the popular Croc footwear. Furthermore, footwear with dramatically worn soles should similarly be prohibited.
Next define the type of footwear that is acceptable for drivers by listing desirable characteristics (such as lace-up, 8″ or greater boots with slip-resistant tread). Many drivers may already wear a work-shoe or boot of some type. Although most have a substantial tread, they may or may not be truly slip resistant. Furthermore, some work shoes or boots are marked “oil resistant.” This has nothing to do with slip resistance. Instead, it relates to how the sole material becomes harder, softer, or weaker due to oil impregnation. To help reduce slip accidents, slip-resistant footwear has higher levels of grip in wet conditions and is available from a variety of sources. A simple Internet search for “slip resistant footwear” will identify a host of distributors.
Lastly, take 10 minutes in your next safety meeting to discuss the footwear characteristics that can provide additional protection from slip/fall injuries and that can minimize the severity of injuries associated with slip/fall injuries. A local occupational footwear distributor will likely be more than happy to share his/her knowledge with your drivers.
