Does using a physical ability test really reduce workplace injury—and create return on investment?

Every decision you make for your business affects its bottom line, so the return-on-investment question is vital. 

Employees are a business’s most valuable asset—and often its largest expense. Finding just the right workers with just the right mix of skills and work ethic is a challenge. And in positions with high levels of physical stress and strain, the right level of physical ability is equally important to productivity and the bottom line. 

Mis-hiring—placing a person in a position for which they are physically unsuited—will inevitably result in increased on-the-job injuries.

Physical Ability Testing

Containing the everyday costs of doing business is central to the profitability of any company, no matter what industry you're in. Well-run organizations project the potential return on investment for each cost reduction strategy that they are considering. For employers with physically demanding jobs, a budget line item that often gets attention is the one associated with workers' compensation expense. A variety of well-known approaches to reducing that expense exist, ranging from safety and training programs to claims management.

Nuclear Verdicts

Nuclear verdicts are a hot topic in the trucking and transportation industry, and for good reason. In 2010 there were less than 10 cases against trucking companies with a verdict over $1 million; in 2011 there were nearly 60, and there hasn’t been less than 30 in a year since then. And it’s not just the number of cases that’s increasing, but the amount of the verdict. The average verdict in 2010 was $2.3 million; in 2018 it was $22.3 million ¹.
A single finding against a trucking company can be catastrophic, at times even forcing their closure. With that in mind, is there anything a company can do to reduce the risk that one of their drivers will be involved in one of these cases? The answer is: Absolutely!

Many drivers don’t want to admit that they’re stressed because they see that admission as a sign of weakness. But commercial driving is a stressful occupation. And there’s no question that stress causes physical effects on the body, including chronic pain and fatigue. Stress day-in and day out means that a commercial driver’s body is in often in a fight-or-flight mode, which releases stress chemicals like cortisol and adrenaline. And if the stress is continuous, it can lead to burnout and a lack of motivation, which often results in feeling tired even after short periods of driving.

Possibly the most important fatigue-fighter is good quality sleep. if your drivers are feeling fatigued each morning and throughout the day, a lack of good quality sleep may be the problem. If so, a lack of sleep can contribute to chronic fatigue and exhaustion. In addition, studies have shown that poor sleep quality can contribute to chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease and even shortened life expectancy. And of course, fatigue has immediate risks to your drivers, including impaired driving and other safety concerns.

Focus on Exercise

Your drivers are busy folks and they may be thinking they don’t have the time or energy to exercise. But physical activity is critical for keeping energy levels up because it boosts circulation and improves heart health. Active bodies sleep more soundly because exercise helps with stress-management. And we all know that truck driving is a very stressful job.

Fighting Driver Fatigue: Top 5 Wellness Strategies - Supplements

Reduce Fatigue with food?

At first glance it seems too simplistic. Can eating the right foods really affect driver fatigue? The answer is a resounding “Yes!” Eating the right food is essential not just to a driver’s overall health but to energy levels as well. If drivers eat too much of the wrong foods, on the other hand, they’ll fatigue much more quickly.

Fighting Driver Fatigue

Introduction to wellness strategies.

In this time of the COVID-19 crisis, it’s more important than ever to stay as healthy as possible.  It’s one of the most important things everyone can do – besides social distancing.  Why?  It’s a known fact that those who are less healthy are more apt to contract the virus and when they do, the symptoms are often more severe.  In this series of blogs, we’re going to talk about ways that truck drivers can maximize their health – especially those very important drivers who are delivering essential supplies to the public.