An Overview of OSHA Regulations for Trucking Companies
Written by Cooper & Friedman PLLC on December 17, 2019
OSHA stands for Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and it was established in December 1970 by Richard Nixon. It is a part of the United States Department of Labor and aims to prevent work-related illnesses, injuries, or fatalities.
It provides guidelines for businesses, helping create a safer environment for all employees. This establishment influences all industries operating in the U.S., including trucking companies. Here’s a look at OSHA regulations for them:
OSHA Focuses on Non-Driving Operations
The trucking industry is quite widespread, involving warehouses, loading docks, retail space loading docks, and national highways. OSHA mostly concerns itself with safety at stationary work sites but doesn’t oversee conditions while truckers are on the road.
That falls under FMCSA or Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s jurisdiction. The U.S. Department of Transportation is responsible for enforcing regulations and investigating incidents.
OSHA Regulations That Influence Trucking
This agency focuses primarily on loading, unloading, construction site truck use, etc. Here’s a look at what it regulates:
- How grains and lumber are transported.
- How hazardous materials are marked or labeled.
- Establishing safe procedures for handling hazardous materials.
- Determining what kinds of ropes, cords, and other materials can be used to secure cargo.
- Dictating which facilities or establishments can handle toxic materials.
- Inspecting fire safety and first aid provisions present on site.
- Ensuring all safety procedures are followed during loading or unloading.
- Ensuring a safe and hygienic workplace.
OSHA also protects “whistle blowers” or employees who report unsafe working conditions. The organization provides information on how to report work-related accidents. They maintain a list of citations and make sure all trucking companies do their best to keep their workers safe.
Common OSHA Regulations
OSHA has several regulations in place. An experienced legal professional like the attorneys at Cooper & Friedman PLLC can explain all of them in detail if needed, especially if they’re relevant to any personal injury cases. Some of the most commonly violated regulations include:
Respiratory Protection
This is one of the most commonly cited violations. Trucking companies, warehouses, and other such establishments fail to ensure worker safety because they don’t provide masks or respirators. This is especially crucial if workers handle toxic or hazardous materials.
All masks or respirators provided must be certified for materials workers come in contact with. For example, some gas substances have minute parties that require sophisticated filters. Companies should also provide masks for dusty warehouse environments.
Sharing Handling Information
OSHA has specific guidelines on how to handle, load, secure, and unload toxic or hazardous materials. A trucking company must share this information with workers. They should ensure every worker knows what they’re handling and are aware of all safety precautions required.
Many companies provide comprehensive training, primarily if they transport toxic materials regularly. Unfortunately, a large number of trucking establishments ignore this requirement. In 2016, OSHA issued over 5,200 citations on this matter alone. Other violations include lockout/tagout regulations, maintenance of powered trucks, reporting injuries or fatalities, exit route maintenance, etc.
How Does OSHA Affect Personal Injury Cases?
OSHA safety guidelines are designed to make trucking safer, even when a truck is on the road. Loading, securing, and hazardous material handling procedures ensure there are few incidents. Unfortunately, some trucking companies do ignore important regulations, which cause serious accidents later. Transported items can explode, catch fire, slip out of a trailer, etc. If heavy items aren’t secured according to industry standards, they can move around and destabilize a truck.
Personal injury lawyers like the experienced team at Cooper & Friedman PLLC must collect OSHA citation data during personal injury cases involving trucks. This information may provide clues or prove liability during your case.
If you’re injured in a trucking accident, hire a lawyer that has experience in this field. They will check with all agencies involved, including OSHA while building a case.
Cooper & Friedman PLLC has decades of experience helping people navigate workers compensation cases in the State of Kentucky and in Southern, Indiana. If you or someone you love needs an experienced worker’s comp attorney, call 502-459-7555 for your free case consultation.