| Preparing for the holidays: How to prevent common accidents |
| Before peak delivery season begins, it's important to train your drivers and new hires to reduce the risk of motor vehicle collisions and on-the-job injuries. In addition to having a robust written safety program and training, it's essential to focus on the most common losses and how to prevent them. |
| Practice proper lifting techniques |
| Your job may require manual material handling of packages and cargo. Back and shoulder injuries are typically cumulative, which means they slowly incur the damage over time. It's important to practice proper lifting techniques every time you handle something, even at home! |
| • Stretch and warm up all your muscle groups before lifting. |
| • Keep loads between the knees and shoulders when possible. |
| • Always bend at the knees. |
| • Don't lift too much weight. Get help or use mechanical aids. |
| Walk carefully to avoid slips & falls |
| Slips and falls might seem like minor incidents at first, but they can escalate into very serious injuries that keep you off the road and cost a significant amount of money. |
| • Check the condition of the walkway ahead of you and look for uneven surfaces, debris, water, snow or ice. |
| • Always use three points of contact when entering and exiting a vehicle. |
| • Wear appropriate slip-resistant shoes. |
| • Take your time. Although heavy volume and tight time constraints may make you want to rush, slow down and do not run. |
| Drive safely and defensively |
| Motor vehicle collisions continue to be the leading cause of workplace injuries and deaths nationwide. Slow down, don’t drive too fast for conditions and increase following distances. Practice defensive driving techniques by looking for hazards and other vehicles when approaching intersections. And always wear your seat belt! |
| Download our poster showing the five most common injuries and tips on how to avoid them. |
| The holiday rush is beginning, and we wish you a safe and happy holiday season! You deliver every day. Make sure your most important delivery is getting yourself home safely. |
| Free download: Top 5 Injuries Poster |
| Download our free poster to remind yourself of the top five most common injuries and ways to avoid them. Download poster >>
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