NIOSH Road Safety Research

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NIOSH Road Safety Research
Current Projects and Future Directions May 25,
2005
Stephanie Pratt
National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Rationale for NIOSH Involvement

• Related to mission of conducting research and
  making recommendations to prevent work-related
  injury and illness
• Motor vehicle crashes are leading cause of death
  for all workers
• Truck drivers have high numbers of crash
  fatalities and nonfatal injuries from all causes
• Customers want prevention strategies based on
  research

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Motor Vehicle Research Projects

• Trucking focus
• Work Organization Influence on Fatigue in Truck
  Drivers
• Examining organizational factors associated with
  driver fatigue and crashes
• Mortality among Independent Owner-Operator Truck
  Drivers
• Assessing whether truck drivers are at risk of
  premature mortality from specific diseases

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Research Projects (cont.)

• Focus on other worker populations
• Ambulance Crash Survivability Improvement
• Developing engineering interventions to improve
  occupant restraint systems and structural
  integrity of ambulance patient compartment
• Risk Factors for Vehicle Crashes among Public
  Employees
• Analyzing nonfatal crash data for state DOT
  employees and assessing vehicle safety programs
  collaborating with U.S. Department of Defense to
  analyze crash data for active duty military
  personnel

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NIOSH Transportation Initiative

• Preventing motor vehicle crashes and
  crash-related injuries among all workers who
  drive on the job
• Preventing all types of occupational injury and
  illness among workers employed in the
  transportation industry

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Transportation Initiative Focus

• Virtual research center, with NIOSH-wide steering
  committee providing guidance
• Develop capacity among NIOSH staff
• Identify and fill research gaps
• Build collaborations with partners in public and
  private sectors

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Pilot Projects for 2005

• Evaluation of the effects of firefighter apparel
  on the operation of a fire response vehicle
• Non-fatal work-related roadway crash injuries by
  industry and occupation
• Field evaluation of a continuous passive lumbar
  motion system for long haul truckers
• Truck operator warning zones
• Identification of risk factors leading to
  injuries among female package delivery drivers

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Committees

• ANSI Z-15 Committee, Safe Practices for Motor
  Vehicle Operations
• Transportation Research Board, Truck and Bus
  Safety Committee FMCSA
• Network of Employers for Traffic Safety NHTSA,
  FMCSA, FHWA
• National Advisory Committee on Occupational
  Safety and Health (NACOSH), motor vehicle safety
  work group OSHA
• Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency
  Medical Services NHTSA
• Roadway Work Zone Safety and Health Coalition
  with OSHA, construction trade associations, and
  labor
• Interagency panel advising on formulating an
  evidence-based strategy for regulating truckers
  hours of service FMCSA

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Possible Future Activities

• Multi-year project anthropometric database for a
  nationally representative sample of truck drivers
  (FY06)
• External research initiative trucker safety and
  health (FY07)
• Collaboration with a national provider of pest
  control services
• Matching of Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries
  with FARS

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Research Needs

• Non-fatal crashes circumstances and risk factors
• Driving habits, intensity, and exposure,
  especially among non-professional drivers
• Effect of commuting on risk for workplace crashes
• Effectiveness of hours-of-service regulations for
  trucking
• Effects of in-vehicle technologies and electronic
  devices on safety

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NIOSH Hazard Review

• Crash data
• Regulations
• Special topics distracted driving, age, fatigue
• Safety recommendations
• Internet and print resources

www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2003-119/pdfs/2003-119.pdf
1-800-35NIOSH
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Fact Sheets
Prevention Strategies for Employers
Whos at Risk?
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NIOSH Motor Vehicle Web Page

• www.cdc.gov/niosh/injury/traumamv.html

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Planning for the Second Decade of the National
Occupational Research Agenda (NORA)

• Since 1996, NORA has provided a national
  framework for OSH research
• With new NORA, research will be grouped by
  industry sectors
• NIOSH is seeking input on research needs
  (www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora)
• Subscribe to NIOSH eNews for NORA updates
  (www.cdc.gov/niosh/enews)

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Questions?
Stephanie Pratt 304-285-5992 sgp2_at_cdc.gov
www.cdc.gov/niosh/injury/traumamv.html
The findings and conclusions in this presentation
are those of the author and do not necessarily
represent the views of the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health.