FACTS

1. Deflated Tires. The oversized or wide loads are so heavy that the truck tires are unable to withstand the pressure and ultimately explode. The chances of such an accident are higher when trucks are illegally loaded with extra heavy loads.
2. Rollover. Rollovers typically happen when a heavy hauling truck takes a sharp turn. Failure of the heavy hauling company to adhere to the weight rules can lead to such accidents.
3. On-the-job accidents.  Once a driver leaves the lot with a tow truck, both the vehicle and the employee are at risk.  Management should train all employees in safe operational procedures.  Types of accidents include:

• Being hit by oncoming traffic.  Many drivers on the road do not give tow truck drivers and their equipment enough room to do their job.  Many drivers attempt to see what’s going with a crashed vehicle and accidentally hit the towing employee or other bystanders.
• Being crushed by rolling and tipping vehicles.  Vehicles requiring a tow are heavy, often imbalanced, and susceptible to rolling.
• Fatigue.  Limiting the number of hours in a shift and requiring days off and vacations can help make sure your drivers perform at their best while on the clock.
• Strains and breaks. Drivers that are not using proper safety procedures to lift and haul equipment can sustain severe muscle strains.  Using durable, lightweight equipment designed with ergonomics can reduce injuries and make tasks easier to accomplish.

STATS

• Workers in the motor vehicle towing industry face an on-the-job fatality risk nearly 15 times greater than workers in all other private industries, according to a recent study from NIOSH.
• Analyzing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, NIOSH researchers found that 191 motor vehicle towing workers were killed, resulting in an annual rate of 42.9 deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers. For all other industries, that rate was 2.9 per 100,000 FTEs.
• 6,400 nonfatal injuries and ill- nesses occurred in the motor vehicle towing industry. The rate for this industry was 204 per 10,000 full-time employees, which is more than double the rate of 98 per 10,000 full-time employees for all U.S. private industries. The leading causes of injury was contact with objects and equipment, overexertion and bodily reaction from bending, kneeling, crawling, or reaching. Most injuries involved sprains, strains, and tears.
• During the same period, 191 deaths occurred in the motor vehicle towing industry. According to researchers, this translates to 43 deaths per 100,000 workers, which is more than 15 times the rate of 2.8 workers per 100,000 workers for all U.S. private industries.