17 January

 Just The "FACS" Safety Notes

 Preventing Worker Injuries and Deaths from Traffic-Related Motor Vehicle Crashes The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) requests help in preventing worker deaths associated with motor vehicles. From 1980 to 1992, motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of work-related deaths in U.S. workers. During this period, traffic-related motor vehicle crashes accounted for the deaths of 15,830 workers-or 20% of all fatal workplace injuries. Also during that period, 1,997 worker deaths were associated with motor vehicle crashes that were not related to traffic on a public highway. The number of traffic-related deaths was eight times the number not related to traffic. This Alert examines traffic-related motor vehicle crashes that resulted in the death of a person who was at work when the incident occurred. Events that occurred while traveling to or from work are not included. NIOSH requests your help in bringing this Alert to the attention of workers and employers. To raise the awareness of all workers who drive as part of their jobs, NIOSH also requests help from the following groups: safety and health officials, labor organizations, businesses and trade organizations, the academic and public health communities, advocacy groups, insurance companies, and other Federal agencies. Fatally Injured Workers Sex.-Of the 2,523 workers fatally injured in traffic-related motor vehicle crashes, 93% were male. The injury rate for male workers was 11 times that for female workers (1.2 compared with 0.1 per 100,000 workers).

Age.-Nearly 70% of the motor-vehicle-related fatalities occurred among workers aged 25 to 54. Workers aged 30 to 34 were involved in the highest number of fatalities (360), and workers aged 65 and older had the highest fatality rate-1.3 per 100,000 workers (Table 1).

Drivers, Passengers, and Pedestrians.-Most fatally injured workers were drivers (76%); 14% were pedestrians, and 9% were passengers.

Restraints.-Of the 2,158 fatally injured workers who were either drivers or passengers in a motor vehicle, 62% were not using any type of safety restraint. Thirteen percent used lap and shoulder belts, and nearly 5% used lap belts. Information about the type of restraint was not provided from the FARS data for 19% of these fatally injured workers. REMINDER: It's not only STATE LAW to wear your seat belts but it is also COMPANY POLICY to wear seatbelts while operating ANY company vehicle.