A driver arrived at a service centre parking lot and jumped out of his cab facing forward. The ground was uneven and slippery. His right ankle twisted and he fell to the ground. The driver was taken to the hospital for surgery to treat two broken bones. As a result of his injuries, the driver was off work for two months before he could drive again. The worker's compensation claim was $85,000.
Recommended practices
For the driver:
- Exit the cab facing backwards to enable three-point contact when entering and exiting the tractor.
- Learn and employ the three-point contact technique.
- Don’t carry objects when entering and exiting the cab. Place all hand held items into the passenger seat before entering or pass-through compartment and place cups in a cup-holder in the driver door to allow free hands for three-point contact.
- Wear good footwear that is appropriate for the weather conditions.
For the employer:
- Purchase trucks with long grab handles located on both side of the doors and inside the cab.
- Purchase trucks with steps that have adequate grating, especially on the “nose” of the step, to reduce slipping.
- Purchase trucks that do not have large distances between the steps.
- Consider the above for the cat walk and for frequent maintenance.
- Purchase truck with cup-holders on the lower portion of the driver’s door and with pass-through compartments to allow drivers free hands for three-point contact or add them as retrofit.
- Teach employees the three-point contact technique and remind them of the dangers during ingress and egress.