OSHA News

American Society of Safety Engineers Offers Safety Tool Aimed at Addressing Spiraling Number of Roadway Crashes, Deaths, Injuries and Repeat Offenders

(March 14, 2007)--The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) has developed and made available a special "Call to Action" TransActions newsletter with information aimed at helping prevent the increasing number of roadway fatalities and injuries that directly impact workers in support of the annual May 6-12 North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH).

Worldwide, roadway crashes and fatalities are at an all time high. Transportation incidents continue to be the number one cause of on-the-job deaths each year in the U.S. The 6,159,000 vehicle crashes in 2005 resulted in the deaths of 43,443 people, injured 2.7 million more people and cost the U.S. $230.6 billion. The majority of those killed in crashes were drivers, and of those that died 75 percent were male. According to the U.S. Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS), 6,483 motor vehicle operators involved in fatal crashes had previous records for suspensions, revocations, DUI, speeding and harmful moving convictions.

TPS Administrator Doug Cook notes the major impact roadway safety has on businesses and believes the information in this newsletter can help. The TransAction authors, TPS members, include a safety engineering and biomechanics field expert, certified safety professionals (CSPs), casualty risk control professionals, loss control specialists, a safety, health and environmental director for a national food company, a forensic engineer, transportation engineering experts and a managing director of corporate safety, health and fire prevention for an international transportation company. Cook has 30 years of experience in transportation operations, sales and safety and is vice president of safety for Covenant Transport.

During the annual NAOSH Week ASSE members work to focus the attention of employers, employees, the general public and all partners in occupational safety, health and the environment on the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace. On Monday, May 7 the national NAOSH Week kick-off will be held in Washington, D.C., at the U.S. Department of Labor and in the Capitol. Joining ASSE in the national kick-off will be the Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Edwin Foulke Jr., the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), and several other federal agencies and trade organization officials. Winners and entrants from the fifth annual ASSE Kids' "Safety-on-the-Job" poster contest for members' children aged 5 - 14 will also be recognized.

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