Driving down the risk of falls from vehicles

Falls from height can cause serious injuries, with data from SafeWork SA revealing that falls from trucks resulted in 18 serious injuries in 2020. Of those injuries, 13 were associated with exiting the cab, five were associated with falling from the tray, 10 resulted in serious head injuries, eight occurred below one metre, and 10 injuries were with falls from between one and two metres.

SafeWork SA Acting Executive Director Glenn Farrell said that employers who want to keep their drivers safe can manage the risk of falls by implementing safe systems of work, training drivers and regularly maintaining truck equipment.

“Some drivers have the habit of jumping from the tray or cab. This might seem like a short distance, but it takes one bad landing to result in serious injury. When climbing into and the cab or trailer, always use three points of contact at all times. This might take a fraction longer, but these extra steps are worth it when ensuring your physical safety,” said Farrell.

SafeWork SA has urged drivers to immediately report any damaged equipment, such as steps and handholds, to their employer. Slips, trips and falls are the second-leading cause of workplace injury, after hazardous manual tasks. These incidents can affect every workplace and often result in serious injury and lengthy amounts of time off work.

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