Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Problems. Topic 47-16. Transportation Worker Safety

Worker safety and health injury illness data managed by occupational safety and health offices may or may not be combined with the worker's compensation management or their third-party administrator. Numerous workers injuries resulting in compensation claims, primarily for transportation workers in temporary, roadway workzones, are submitted each year. To address these issues, a study is warranted to better understand what issues are contributing to workers injuries and workers compensation claims. If the data from each area are compared, a more complete view of this subject could help determine trends, leading to new policies and procedures, and, ultimately, prevention. To mitigate the number of worker injuries and the associated costs, a proactive safety approach is necessary. Foundational to this approach is identification of the most significant types of injuries and determination of how those claims tie to the workers compensation program. Information gathered may include a combination of worker safety injury data, historical claims data, feedback from both workers and administrators, and other pertinent information. In a time of fiscal constraints and escalating health care costs, this study might lead to a reduction in injuries and costs. This project will conduct a literature review and survey transportation employers to collect information on worker safety and health programs relating to workers compensation claims as well as identify effective practices. The final product will include a synthesis of current practice and the analysis of the survey to provide additional information on the type and causes of injuries for comparison with workers compensation claims. This my be useful for developing new or updating existing policies, programs, or tools that minimize the exposure to risk for a variety of common types of injuries. Also, it is the intent of the study to identify effective practices, and gaps in knowledge and needed future research.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3967
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Proposed
• Funding: $45000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 20-05, Topic

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 225
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Project Managers:

  Zwhalen, Tanya

• Start Date: 20150701
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• Source Data: RiP Project 39651

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Health; Injuries; Insurance claims; Literature reviews; Occupational safety; Policy; Safety programs; State of the practice; Surveys; Workers compensation
• Subject Areas: Highways; Policy; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01562854
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 20-05, Topic
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: May 13 2015 1:00AM