Last month this newsletter focused on trucking companies making their wellness initiatives purposeful, action oriented and systematic rather than being mere passive, educational campaigns. This issue marks the start of setting forth the strategic components of an action-oriented wellness campaign.

Being action oriented naturally implies that companies will have to exert some effort and resources. To ensure that those efforts and resources are truly impacting the health of the workforce, measures must be taken. In order for companies to properly measure the progress that their wellness initiatives are yielding, there are two imperatives: 1) companies must determine what aspects of driver (and non-driver) health should be measured; and 2) companies must have strategy for tracking and communicating progress.

The Dimensions of Health: Determining What to Measure

Companies all over are creating their own versions of the hit, weight loss reality show, The Biggest Loser. Some companies have experienced success with these campaigns, while others have experienced mediocre results at best. For those companies who have at least taken the initiative to sponsor a weight loss campaign and impacted at least one employee’s health for the good- hats off to you and your efforts. However, one thing should be noted about wellness campaigns centered entirely on weight loss – their measures are one dimensional. Granted weight loss is a HUGE measure when it comes to evaluating overall health, but it is still only one measure of health. By only evaluating weight loss, many companies’ intentions of having a wellness campaign result only in a weight loss campaign. Unfortunately, there are folks who are not overweight but still suffer from health problems such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc.

In order for a company’s wellness initiative to be more than a weight loss campaign, it must track and measure a wide variety of health related measures to determine success. Here are several categories of health measures that trucking companies should consider including in their wellness program measures:

· Blood Pressure Improvement

· Smoking Cessation Success

· Cholesterol Improvement

· Diabetes Control

· Exercise Goals

· Program Participation

· Weight Loss

· Nutrition Improvements

· Alcohol Use Reduction

· Sleep Apnea Resolution

While the above list is certainly not exhaustive, it does provide a primer from which companies can begin to think about the many dimensions of health that can be measured to gauge wellness initiative impact. Notice though, all of these measures are leading measures as opposed to the traditional lagging measures of health insurance premiums, worker’s compensation claims, etc. If improvements are seen in these leading areas of health, the lagging measures should naturally experience a similar, positive correlation.

Each company should work with their healthcare provider to define specific measures within these categories and design a mechanism that tracks the data and communicates to the employer in a legally sound, yet useful manner.

Communicating Progress

The most important reason that health data is tracked and measured is so that progress can be communicated to employees. There is no better motivator than success itself. It has been shown that when companies start realizing success with their health initiatives, participation is contagious and progress can expand exponentially. Measures on individual driver health should be shared only with its owner (for obvious legal reasons) however collective data that shows how the company is doing as a whole should be communicated throughout. Employees will be motivated by both the company-wide and individual improvements. Next month, we’ll explore some specific measures within the categories mentioned as well as strategies for sharing the measures throughout the company and with individuals.

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Education

Trucker driver fitness was recently featured in one of the most unsuspecting publications; Runner’s World magazine. The December 2009 issue contained the story of Jeff Clark, an OTR driver who proudly displays a large 26.2 decal on the side of his truck to commemorate the six marathons he has ran over the past five years[1]. (He has also completed six half-marathons during the same period.) Clark has not always been a runner though; in fact his marathon journey didn’t start until five years ago when he realized that his health was headed in a dangerous direction. Clark’s love for running was born as a result of incorporating regular walks at rest stops into his driving routine. Clark is not the only trucker who has changed lanes with his health, but he is certainly among an impressive, select group.

Countless corporations have invested vast amounts of cash and other resources into funneling health facts, figures and tips to their employees under the guise of a “wellness program”. Sadly, many of these companies have been sorely disappointed in their efforts when they see no notable results from their efforts. While it’s not certain how much wellness knowledge Clark had prior to his change in lifestyle, one thing is certain; he turned what knowledge he had into action! Furthermore, Clark’s formula was very simplistic and probably didn’t come from “information” his employer provided. Clark’s story is one that shouts to employers that the focal point of wellness initiatives must be promoting ACTION, not education.

The formula for wellness success must be action over education. This is not to say education is unimportant, but to emphasize that education alone produces very minimal, measurable impact. Experienced safety professionals know that safety training only addresses two problems: 1) lack of knowledge; 2) lack of skill. If employees have the necessary knowledge and skill, subjecting them to further training will not fix an at-risk behavior problem. To analogize this illustrate to wellness, consider smoking. One would have to be totally removed from society to be unaware of the harmful health effects of smoking. Nonetheless, people continue to smoke or, worse yet, pick up the habit. Therefore, it’s not the lack of knowledge that causes people to continue smoking; it’s that the risk of getting lung cancer, heart disease, etc., is easier to deal with than the pain of breaking the addiction. The same principle holds true for poor dietary choices and lack of exercise.

Realizing Success By Overcoming the Pain

A wise saying reads, “Persons will remain the same until the pain of remaining the same is greater than the pain of change.” Jeff Clark had finally had enough of poor health choices and chose the pain of change over the alternative. Unfortunately, too many drivers have become numb to the pain of remaining the same, and many never decide to change before it’s too late. Therein is the next frontier of trucking wellness “education.” Education efforts should be focused on individuals, rather than broad groups, so that those who’ve grown numb to their present state of health can wake up and smell the coffee.

So, what are trucking companies to do with the action over education formula? Trucking companies must make their wellness initiatives be more than mere education campaigns. Obviously providing wellness facts and tips is better than doing nothing, however to realize success, trucking companies must strategically find ways to increase the numerator of this equation. They must find ways to decrease the pain of change by making healthy choices convenient. As we go forward in 2010, we’ll address how wellness campaigns must: 1) have an individual focus, 2) provide health measures that motivate, and 3) promote action. The pain of action must decrease, so that wellness may increase.

Don’t forget to email success stories to:

bsspurlock@miains.com .

[1] Morfit, Cameron. Road Warrior. Runner’s World. December 2008, p.17.

The previous paragraph comes as no surprise to many trucking companies, but to some it’s an epiphany. No matter which of those situations describe your company, you will still appreciate friendly reminders.  Therefore, keep in mind that it’s that time of year again for employers to be completing and posting the OSHA 300A, Annual Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, for the calendar year of 2009.  This form, or an appropriate equivalent, should be posted in a conspicuous location at each establishment beginning February 1st and remaining through April 30th.  This requirement covers many employers in the U.S., however there are some exceptions.  Organizations with 10 or fewer employees, or those that have a particular industrial classification (i.e., insurance agencies, real estate agencies, car dealerships, etc.) are considered partially exempt from OSHA’s recordkeeping [sic] standards, and are not required to keep the forms unless OSHA has specifically told them, in writing, that they must.   Unfortunately the common, trucking standard industrial classification codes, 4212, 4213, 4214, 4226, 4213 and 4289, are NOT on this list.  A list of the partially exempt industries can be found at the following site:  Standard Industrial Classification Codes for Partially Exempt Industries. 

The process and regulatory requirements for completing the 300A are outlined in OSHA’s Standard on Recordkeeping [sic]; specifically at 29 CFR § 1904.32 .   Access to OSHA Recordkeeping [sic] forms can be found at OSHA Recordkeeping Forms .

Keep in mind, if you organization is not partially exempt, you are required to post the 300A even if there were no OSHA recordable injuries for 2009.  OSHA still wants the zeros posted!

So, if you have more than 10 employees and your business is not listed as one of the partially exempt industrial classifications, you need to get your OSHA 300 log completed, totaled and the necessary information transferred to the 300A.  If you’re not partially exempt, and you don’t know what an OSHA 300 log is, then you’ve got some work to do.

Impact on Prevention

There is an abundance of information and statistics providing evidence that employees in poor physical condition suffer work related injuries at a higher rate than their more fit co-workers. One doesn’t have to look hard to find some very simple illustrations of how fitness – or lack of- can contribute to injury causation in trucking. They appear in numerous cases associated with the task where most truck drivers are injured; getting in and out of the cab. Falls due to loss of balance, shoulder strains while “swinging out,” and knee injuries from the impact of simply stepping down are all examples of common claims which can be at least indirectly caused by a driver being overweight.

Impact on Claims

Despite even the best prevention efforts, injuries do occur and the only remaining hope of controlling workers’ comp costs is managing the claim. The amount and type of treatment an injured employee receives is many times a direct function of the employee’s overall health. Furthermore, the degree of success achieved by most all post-injury management initiatives, such as early return to work programs, is either limited or enhanced by an injured worker‘s ability to participate in rehabilitation efforts (i.e., physical therapy).

Work related injuries can sometimes exacerbate or aggravate pre-existing health conditions, thus making what would ordinarily be a very simple claim become one of catastrophic proportions. For example, there have been numerous cases where an employee who sustained a simple laceration has been hospitalized because they developed a severe case of cellulitis (a serious, bacterial infection involving the skin‘s deep layer). Individuals with diabetes or other conditions attributed to poor health choices are exponentially more prone to developing conditions such as cellulitis. In most all cases, treatment of ancillary health problems set in motion by a work related injury must be covered through worker’s compensation.

Going Forward

To be successful in any wellness initiative, a trucking company MUST do more than simply disseminate information. It must make purposeful, strategic efforts to tear down barriers and remove temptations so drivers can more easily make good health choices. Midwestern Insurance Alliance will be working throughout 2010 to not only bring trucking companies information on wellness, but also strategies and tools for making wellness initiatives have substantial impact. Readers should frequently check the Midwestern Insurance Alliance trucking resources website and the interactive version of Beyond the Cab for more extensive information and additional resources:

http://www.mialosscontrol.com/trucking

Finally, because all trucking companies suffer when worker’s compensation costs escalate within the industry, there should be no “trade secrets” when it comes to wellness. Therefore, Midwestern encourages all companies to share their success stories and strategies with other companies. Recognizing companies that have been successful with wellness is a key focus of this 2010 initiative. Please email Barry Spurlock if you’d like to share your company’s success story (no matter how small), recognize a particular employee’s accomplishments, or even share your own wellness story: bsspurlock@miains.com .

Blackberrys, iPhones, and their counterparts are now commonplace. In fact, you will be hard-pressed to find a new cell phone without the capability to text and surf the Internet. Whereas texting was once popular only with teens, it is taking over as a fairly common means of communicating by many – including many truck drivers. Add to that thousands of available cell phone “apps” designed to entertain the user and it is easy to see how these gadgets, if used while driving, can have a dramatically negative impact upon driver safety. Now add Netbooks to the mix. These pint-size laptops have much of the same functionality as home computers, but are ready to connect to the Internet via a cell signal virtually anywhere. Safety directors are naïve if they think that these devices are not impacting employee job safety in a seriously negative way.

Of course truck drivers are professionals and do not engage in dangerous tasks while behind the wheel, right? Wrong. Truck drivers are human and occasionally do ill-advised things endanger themselves and others. We all do. On October 21^st a Northwest Airlines flight bound for Minneapolis overshot its destination by 150 miles because the pilots (highly trained professionals) were paying more attention to working out crew schedules on their laptops than they were to flying the plane. Whereas those pilots made national headlines, professional truck drivers who text, surf or play with their cell-phone applications while driving present an even greater risk to themselves and others. After all, if a driver is traveling 55 mph and looks down to text for six seconds, he will have traveled the entire length of a football field – which is plenty of time to drift out of his lane without realizing it.

Earlier this year Federal legislation was introduced aimed at banning texting while operating a vehicle. The proposed legislation is named “Avoiding Life-Endangering and Reckless Texting by Drivers Act of 2009.” Under the measure, states would have two years to outlaw the sending of text and e-mail messages by drivers or lose 25 percent of their Federal highway money. Of course, several states have already enacted bans on cell phone texting while driving.

But it takes more than laws to change behaviors. Ban texting while driving. Routinely talk with your drivers about the hazards of using any handheld electronic gadget while driving. Get personal. Ask them if they text or have a handheld device with Internet connectivity. Talk to them about when they use it. Ask them to sign a pledge not to use these devises while driving. Do anything except ignore the problem.

Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, Press Release, “New Data from VTTI Provides Insight into Cell Phone Use and Driving Distraction,” July 27, 2009

Start by making a plan for how you will protect your most valuable asset (your drivers) from whatever winter throws at them. Certainly, this should include providing a refresher about winter driving safety. But whatever you do…. don’t let it stop there. Although there is an increased rate of truck accidents during the winter months, that increase pales in comparison to the spike in workers’ compensation claims among truck drivers during the winter months – many of which are attributable to slips and falls on ice.

Once a driver steps on the ice and begins to fall, it is merely a matter of luck that determines whether he will get back on his feet with only his pride being hurt; or if it he will receive serious injuries that keep him from driving for months. Since you have no control over the severity of the injury, what will be your plan for preventing drivers from slipping on ice this winter? At a minimum you are encouraged to do the following.

1. Encourage drivers to order their own pair of strap-on traction aids right away. For $30/pair drivers can go a long way towards preventing slips/falls on ice and packed snow. Have them look at the products at www.YakTrax.com, or better yet invest in their safety by providing each driver with one pair.
2. If you own one or more lots where employees park their trucks or personal vehicles, fill-in any holes and ruts now. Don’t let them accumulate water and become patches of ice this winter.
3. Assign responsibility for keeping your lots free of ice and snow, and make sure that whoever is responsible gets to work before others. Definitely these employees should wear traction aids such as those recommended above.
4. Ensure that you have an ample supply of ice-melt and snow shovels, and place them where employees will be encouraged to use them.
5. Put down mats inside the entrance doors of your office and garage buildings to absorb melted snow and provide traction.

    

Although falls on ice can result in very serious injuries even when on a flat-level surface, it is almost a guarantee that a serious injury will result when a driver slips and falls from an elevation as a result of ice. For that reason, talk to drivers about preventing these type of winter-related incidents. At a minimum you are encouraged to do the following.

1. Ensure that drivers know how to safely remove built-up ice from their windshield wipers. Stepping onto a wet tire or placing a foot on the truck hood while reaching across the windshield is an invitation for a fall.
2. Repeatedly remind drivers to look for ice that may have formed on their truck steps while they were driving or parked before stepping onto the on their truck’s running-board of their

Lastly, ice under-foot can cause slip/fall injuries but ice overhead can be just as hazardous. More than a few drivers have received serious head injuries from being struck by a large piece of ice. For that reason, train your drivers to anticipate ice falling while opening swing-type trailer doors, and how to open trailer doors in a manner that prevents them from being struck.

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.

Because he had chocked the wheels, his life was saved. However, he was off work for 58 days and his claim cost over $9,000. Even though this is a task the mechanic does every day and a driver he trusts, he has learned from this experience. In his own words, he said that he will never be under the truck when it starts. And before working on a truck, he will make sure it’s in neutral, himself. That’s good advice.

The above information was derived from Publication No. 90-34-2009 (SHARP Program, Washington Dept. of Labor & Industries)

If you are doing these things, GREAT!!! But if you and your drivers are new to this approach, there may be an unintended and undesired consequence. Drivers may misinterpret what you’re doing and become defensive.

Regardless of what causes a driver to become defensive, understand that defensiveness presents a roadblock to cooperation and effective injury prevention efforts… particularly for trucking companies that must rely upon the cooperation of an unsupervised workforce. For that reason, it should be comforting to know that there are specific steps that can (and should) be taken to prevent a driver from becoming defensive when discussing a work-related injury.

First and foremost, before discussing an injury with a driver, take the time to put him at ease. Remind the driver that you are interested only in preventing a recurrence of the accident and that you can do this only with his assistance. Convince the driver that what you are seeking is a joint effort to prevent other accidents that could be far more serious.

Throughout the process, exercise caution not to make judgmental remarks. This will only put the person on the defensive and defeat the whole purpose of your inquiry.

Let the driver tell you what happened, in his own words. Don’t interrupt to clarify (“are you saying that…”), interpret (“in other words…”) or evaluate (“well now, in my opinion…”). If you don’t understand something, wait until the driver is finished and then ask. Then if you have questions, ask open-ended questions (ones that can’t be answered “yes” or “no”). That will get you much more information.

If possible, try to gather the details you need without asking “why” type questions (“Why were you doing…”, etc.), as “why” questions are likely to put the person on the defensive. Then, repeat the story, as you understand it. This will accomplish two things. First, it will let the driver be sure you understood what he meant (not just what was said). Second, it gives the driver a chance to hear what he said. Strangely, many of us don’t “listen to ourselves” while we are talking.

Lastly, end on a positive note. The best way to wind-up is by discussing corrective action that can be taken to prevent the incident from occurring again. Although you may have formed your own ideas of how to prevent future similar incidents, you will be well-served to get the insight of the driver who was injured. Chances are, he has given it more thought than you have. However, the manner in which you ask for his insight will very likely have a bearing upon how thoughtful and beneficial his response will be, and whether or not the he remembers your interaction with him as positive or negative.

Choose your words carefully. Don’t ask, “What could you have done to prevent this?” Instead, consider a more diplomatic approach by asking something like, “How can we use what happened to you to help new drivers avoid a similar injury?” This re-affirms what you stated at the onset, that your inquiry is a joint effort to prevent other accidents from happening in the future.

One such trend in the transportation industry involves the company mechanics. Too often these employees are overlooked when it comes to occupational safety. There are several reasons why they are overlooked, and the results can be tragic, so don’t forget about your mechanics!

Reason #1 – Supervision: It would probably be better stated that the lack of adequate supervision is the problem. The number of mechanics is always much smaller than the number of drivers. The mechanics are working on site, while the drivers are out-of-sight. The occupational hazards faced by the mechanics are not as dangerous as those faced by the drivers. What’s the end result? The mechanics are ignored. Not totally, but they often don’t receive the type of supervision necessary to avoid loss.

Reason #2 – Training: Most often the “help wanted” announcement specifies that the company is looking for an experienced mechanic and when the applicant “confesses” during the interview he will describe his experiences, maybe even stretching the truth to get the job. So his polished interviewing skills got him the job, not his polished mechanical skills. Another factor comes into play. The mechanic may be fully qualified and experienced doing what he did from where he came, but what about at his new job – your company maintenance garage? Does he need to be trained on your policies and procedures? Absolutely!

Reason #3 – Tools: This issue is linked to both of those described above. If an employee is not familiar with the use of a tool, and he has not been trained in its use, then “undesirable events” will most likely result. Many of us have experienced this in our personal life. Do you remember the first time you used a tool/device and had absolutely no idea how it was supposed to be used? What did you do? Most likely you used it as you thought it should be used, and that may not have been correct or SAFE. Now you see the link to the Reasons # 1 and 2. This is not limited to new employees. New tools are frequently introduced into the workplace and this represents an uncontrolled hazard until the employee (user) is trained on its use.

Reason #4 – Work Environment: Where you work is just as important as how you work, what you work with and what level of supervision might be present. Fully competent mechanics who are placed in less than desirable work environments can get hurt. Inexperienced mechanics who are placed in less than desirable work environments will get hurt. So what is a less than desirable work environment? How about a facility without adequate lighting, space or equipment? Ever been in a garage where extension cords ran all over the place? How about using a forklift to temporarily hoist a vehicle while repairs are made? And what about performing repairs outside on an unlevel surface instead of in the garage on a hard, flat floor surface?

Summary: Don’t forget about your mechanics. Just because the cost to insure them is less than the cost to insure a driver – don’t forget about your mechanics. Just because they are next door in the garage – don’t forget about your mechanics. Just because their risk of injury is less than the risk faced by drivers – don’t forget about your mechanics. Select, train, equip and supervise properly. All employees are entitled to and deserve management’s attention – don’t forget about your mechanics.