Reducing Serious Injuries Among State DOT Employees
Reducing Serious Injuries & Fatalities Among State DOT Employees shares successful practices to accelerate the adoption of effective strategies and help DOTs collectively move toward the shared goal of zero serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs).
State DOT employees operate in dynamic, high-hazard environments. These conditions can lead to SIFs even when risks are rigorously identified. DOTs manage these risks through safety programs they develop, implement, and maintain. A strong focus on eliminating SIFs not only protects employees but also strengthens safety culture, reduces worker compensation costs, and minimizes operational disruptions.
DOTs often go beyond compliance-based safety measures to address SIFs, adopting proactive approaches to hazard recognition, employee engagement, fatigue management, and technology integration.
Produced by TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program, this report examines data on factors contributing to SIFs, methods DOTs use to collect SIF information, and written practices focused on reducing SIFs.
It also explores practices for assessing, managing, and mitigating employee fatigue and distraction; employee engagement and awareness of SIF-reduction training programs; and how individual states define SIFs and identify high-risk work activities and tasks.
In addition, the synthesis examines technologies used to reduce the effects of equipment- and human-related factors that contribute to SIFs.
Who is NCHRP?
The National Cooperative Highway Research Program conducts research in problem areas that affect highway planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance in the United States.
Administered under the Transportation Research Board (TRB), NCHRP is a collaborative effort between the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the National Academy of Sciences.
