Driver Health and Safety
Driver Health and Safety
The leading cause of work-related deaths in the U.S. is motor vehicle crashes. In 2020, 1,038 workers died in work-related crashes, about 22% of all worker deaths. 1 Additionally, among professional drivers, low-back injuries are the single largest component of reported work-related musculoskeletal disorders. 2
Dr. Eva Shipp and Dr. Jay Kim are research scientists focused on reducing worker injuries during transport.
Dr. Shipp studies injury prevention methods and crash data to find ways to improve worker safety while driving. She also investigates the risk of musculoskeletal disorders and obesity that drivers face, particularly those who operate machinery or spend extended periods in a sedentary, seated position.
Dr. Kim examines repetitive bouncing and vibration, often caused by heavy machinery or rough roads, which are risk factors for back injuries. Additionally, extended time in a sedentary position poses threats to circulation, physical fitness, and general health.
The workforce in farming and logging is becoming more diverse, with women playing a larger role in the industry. Employees in these industries range from truck owner-operators to migrant workers. Both Shipp and Kim research health and safety data among these populations to identify patterns that can positively affect worker safety.
Dr. Shipp developed a new transportation safety training program that farming and logging industry employers introduced to their employees. Starting with the first iteration of the safety training program and in cooperation with employers, she collected data from program participants and company safety records to evaluate the training's effectiveness. The data was used to further improve the program, and now the content continues to evolve, with results improving each time. Dr. Shipp is now expanding the training program to apply to vehicle fleets. You can hear more about these initiatives in the Work Factors podcast featuring Dr. Shipp.
Dr. Kim completed a longitudinal study that looked at the link between work-related musculoskeletal disorders and injury mechanisms transmitted from vehicle-induced whole-body vibration. His study showed that reducing the exposure to whole body vibration through effective interventions significantly improved the musculoskeletal pain drivers experience. He is continuing to investigate interventions and implementations to improve professional drivers' health.
To contact Dr. Shipp about her research, email eshipp@tamu.edu.
To contact Dr. Kim about his research, email jay.kim@tamu.edu.
1 Bureau of Labor Statistics [2022].
2 Jeong Ho Kim, Luz S. Marin, Jack T. Dennerlein. Evaluation of commercially available seat suspensions to reduce whole body vibration exposures in mining heavy equipment vehicle operators. Applied Ergonomics. Volume 71. 2018. Pages 78-86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2018.04.003.