Liberty Mutual on Aug. 1 released the results of its workers'compensation trucker survey, which provides Liberty Mutual trucking customers with benchmarks for major industry segments, best practices and industry-accepted practices.
The study found that the frequency of crash injuries decreased, but their total cost percentage increased. Crashes now account for more than $1 of every $5 of incurred loss. The frequency of cargo handling continued its downward trend. Handling cargo injuries accounted for 14 percent of the total costs, down from 15.4 percent in 2005.
Costs incurred for forklift injuries also was a significant source of loss, and accounted for some of the highest-cost injuries. Load securement injuries accounted for a much lower percentage of the total cost and frequency (both at 5 percent) compared to 2005, and trailer falls and yard falls were a lower percentage of the total compared to the previous year. The frequency of falls from trailers was flat, compared to the previous year, although the cost of injuries was down, accounting for 9 percent of the total costs, down from 11 percent.
Based on a review of the injury rates per 1 million miles and the customer survey responses, Liberty Mutual identified six key actions that companies with lower injury frequency rates have in common:
- Selecting workers based on their ability to perform essential job functions
- Setting and maintaining high expectations for worker performance
- Measuring worker and management performance frequently
- Providing feedback on performance
- Using interventions to change behaviors associated with injuries
* Adopting and enforcing specific policies to reduce injury and crash potential
