Safety is everywhere on jobsites. Regulations are put in place by
government agencies to minimize the risk of injuries, equipment has a
laundry list of safety features, and laborers protect themselves with
safety glasses, ear plugs, hard hats, steel toed boots, high visibility
clothing, among many other things. Work vehicles have safety features
that Henry Ford couldn’t have imagined in his wildest dreams. Seat
belts, air bags, back up cameras, lane and blind spot sensors,
bluetooth, traction control, autonomous braking, adaptive headlights,
parking assist, tire pressure monitors, the list goes on and on, all
designed to keep the driver and occupants of the vehicle safe.
So why in 2013 were there over three million injuries on the jobsite,
of which over half required missed work?* The current median age in
the United States is 37 years old, by 2050 experts predict it will
increase to 41 years of age.** An aging workforce is a great concern as
it relates to jobsite safety and injury prevention. Baby boomer
laborers that for decades put in hard work are now paying the price with
their knees, hips, back, and many other musculoskeletal disorders
(MSDs). Not all work injuries are related to the aging workforce,
however for many businesses our aging workforce is a determining factor
when purchasing equipment and vehicles.
‘Ergonomics’, a word not historically heard in the commercial vehicle
industry, has been a hot topic for several years now. Business owners
understand an aging workforce is highly susceptible to those
revenue-losing injuries that require time off. In order to combat the
jobsite injuries, many have turned their attention to the commercial
vehicle they drive and the equipment they use, but many times end up
either overlooking the body or downplaying its importance. The back of
the commercial vehicle (cargo area or body) is commonly called the
“business end” in the industry for a reason, much of the work day is
spent there. Accessing tools and parts, utilizing vehicle mounted
equipment, climbing in and out or on and off, goes on all day, every
day. Climbing in and out of a truck body alone can wreak havoc on knees
and backs if spec’d improperly, especially if a worker has been
performing these repetitive movements for decades.
Review the Knapheide accessories and options at
https://www.knapheide.com/news/blog/2016/07/maximize-safety-on-your-next-upfit?utm_source=eloqua&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nurture&utm_content=tof-4&elqTrackId=6e189d1618364636bb9ec8b76fae69d5&elq=7d3a6b49687f4380b09cacc98845767b&elqaid=1069&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=518
