Safety Manager Tip of the Month: Keeping Your Back Healthy

Whether it’s long-haul transportation or local beverage delivery, being a truck driver is one of the hardest jobs on the body. Not only are the long hours of sitting tough on truck drivers’ backs, but so are all their other tasks.

The good news is there are several things you can do to lessen the risk of injury.

Tips for Driving

• Slightly vary your seat position every 30 to 60 minutes to more evenly distribute the stress on your body.
• Change hand positions on the steering wheel often. Do not squeeze harder than necessary.
• Use a gel seat cushion if the truck vibrates too much.

Adjust the Seat

• Knees should not be higher than the hips.
• The front of the seat should not contact the back of the knees. Such contact will cause you to slide forward into a rounded posture.
• Position the steering wheel to keep your elbows as close to the sides as possible, minimizing reach.
• Adjust mirrors so you can see all of them without slouching or twisting. Use the mirrors as a cue to sit up when you slouch instead of readjusting them.

Out-of-Truck Tips

• Do not go directly from prolonged sitting to tasks involving lifting and carrying. Give your back a few minutes to adjust by completing other tasks such as paperwork or talking with the client.
• Never twist your back. When entering and exiting the truck, turn your body first before stepping up or down. When carrying objects, turn with your feet instead of twisting the spine.
• Moving from a warm truck into cold outside temperatures can cause muscles to stiffen. Keep a vest or jacket close by and use it.
• Stand up and move to a different position to do paperwork or other tasks.