current projects and future directions
TRANSCRIPT
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
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
Motor Vehicle Research ProjectsTrucking focus:
Work Organization Influence on Fatigue in Truck Drivers Examining organizational factors associated with
driver fatigue and crashesMortality among Independent Owner-
Operator Truck Drivers Assessing whether truck drivers are at risk of
premature mortality from specific diseases
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
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
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
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
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]
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
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
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
Fact SheetsPrevention Strategies for Employers
Who’s at Risk?
NIOSH Motor Vehicle
Web Page
www.cdc.gov/niosh/injury/traumamv.html
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)
Questions?
Stephanie Pratt
304-285-5992
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.