The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health seeks comments by Jan. 2 on how it best should go about conducting a national survey of truckers’ health.
The 2004 fatality rate among truckers was 11 times the rate among the general worker population, and the number of nonfatal injuries among truckers was second-highest among all occupations, the agency said. The prevalence of specific health problems and how the job contributes to increased risk are not well understood, however.
The institute wants a large representative national sample of truckers to complete the survey, which will be aimed both at owner-operators and company drivers and will be conducted at 40 truck stops nationwide. Officials hope to gather data on working conditions, health behavior, injuries, fatigue and sleep disorders.
The deadline for comment on the institute’s survey plans is Jan. 2. For more information, click here.
