Aiming to give drivers a clean bill of health

©Dmitrii Kiselev via 123RF

A conservative estimate is that there are about 500,000 active heavy-duty drivers in the country. Extra-heavy-duty drivers are included in that number. A safe assumption is that there are about 100,000 Code EC (old Code 14) extra-heavy-duty drivers moving freight over long distances every day in SA.

One of the most dangerous occupations in the world

But not all truck drivers are subjected to the same stresses and occupational challenges - it is the 100,000 extra-heavy, long-distance drivers who are the most challenged when it comes to heart-health issues.

Internationally, truck driving is ranked as being one of the most dangerous occupations in the world. The trucking industry is ranked as having the greatest number of injuries and illnesses among commercial drivers.

Truck driving in SA can be even more stressful for a number of reasons. Drivers must master diverse skills to be able to manage and control a heavily loaded tractor/trailer. In addition to this, the driver must deal with the various hazards of the road, including weather, accidents, road construction, traffic congestion and other situations, such as road rage and drivers who do not respect a truck's following and stopping distances.

Furthermore, there are ever increasing pressures to adhere to demanding pick-up and delivery schedules. Consequently, drivers have increased stress levels due to work-related pressures.

And then there is a "fear factor" - there are an ever-increasing number of local and foreign drivers "waiting at the gate" for driving work. Any default could be construed as an opportunity to lose the job to someone who is prepared to drive for less money. Professional long-distance South African truckers report only hiring three out of 100 applicants as suitably qualified drivers.

Unhealthy lifestyles

The reaction to stress, with monotonous and unmonitored long hours on the road, is smoking as an antidote, which is a vicious cycle. Obesity is also a major problem in the trucking industry, caused in part by the sedentary lifestyle of many truckers - it is a major factor in coronary artery disease known to increase the risk of heart disease and strokes. Obesity is also caused by the consumption of poor-quality foods many drivers regularly consume.

An important factor in the perpetuating cycle of diabetes and hypertension is that once diagnosed with the condition because the drivers are on the road so often they fail to follow up at medical appointments to monitor the condition and to collect their medication.

Driver training is much more than teaching drivers about road craft and saving fuel. It must include lifestyle training. And measuring blood pressure and blood sugar levels is a sure-fire way of spotting developing or serious health problems that need to be controlled.

Today's trucks are a far cry from those in the 1980s - many did not offer power steering and manual shift gearboxes required double-declutching due to an absence of synchromesh. Many modern trucks offer automated shift transmissions where gearshift stress is removed.

"It pays to monitor driver health properly and not through cheap medical certificates," says Craig Uren, chief operating officer, Isuzu Truck SA. "A driver is the nut behind the wheel that holds the truck together and SA's 100,000 long-distance drivers need special attention."

Source: Business Day