Haulage Work Health Risks Part 1: The Problems

If your chosen vocation involves haulage work, you probably already know all the pros: you get to regularly interact with lots of different people, you’re always travelling (sometimes even internationally!) and there’s none of the desk-job monotony you would find in a traditional office career. However, with all the positives come some negatives – specifically the potential health risks.

Part one of our series on haulage workhealth risks will focus on the possible hazards that come from this career, while part two will focus on the solutions. So don’t despair by the end of this article - any complications that sound scary definitely have fixes.

The Risks of Haulage Work

Injuries

Professional drivers are significantly more likely to cause a road-related injury to cyclists, pedestrians, other road users or even themselves, simply because they spend far more time behind the wheel than the average person. This could be for a variety of reasons, such as falling asleep at the wheel, losing concentration, not paying enough attention to their surroundings or the road, or being so pushed for time that they make decisions that may not be the safest choice.

Some studies have shown that over 50% of haulage work drivers experience lower back pain, due to their posture and vibrations from the vehicle. Other musculoskeletal issues can include back and arm problems from lifting large items, or foot, ankle and lower leg pain due to continuously pressing down on the accelerator for extended periods of time.

Many professional drivers, especially those that frequently work on long distance jobs, have a tendency towards an unhealthy diet. They often choose quick and easy meals that are high in refined carbohydrates and fat and low in fresh fruit and vegetables - dietary factors that can contribute to obesity. Additionally, it can be easy to become dehydrated while on the road, which can lead to everything from headaches to peptic ulcers.

Stress and fatigue can also contribute to many of the aforementioned factors. They can be caused by long hours, awkward shifts, negative feedback from customers and the public, being away from home for long stretches of time, the pressure to stay on schedule (which can cause them to miss rest stops and meal breaks), and a host of others.

Pollutants

Professional drivers have a relatively high exposure to airborne pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and carcinogenic diesel – and, after all, an air filter can only filter out so much pollution (this mostly affects long-distance hauliers). Some health concerns relating to this can include bronchitis, sore eyes, asthma, headaches and bladder and lung cancers.

Haulage work is an incredibly rewarding and fun career – so don’t let these potential health hazards deter you if this is your chosen profession. The first step to fixing a problem is to identify it. Now that we’ve done that, we can focus on the solutions - so stay tuned for part two to learn what steps you can take to significantly minimise the aforementioned risks.

Author Plate

Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry. Connecting logistics professionals across the UK and Europe through their website, Haulage Exchange provides services for matching haulage work with available drivers, and is now the fastest growing Freight Exchange in the UK.