Studies undertaken into the risk factors for commercial drivers, including heavy vehicle and long haul drivers, have indentified that commercial drivers face some of the worst occupational health statistics. 

A survey conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (USA) in 2014 on long-haul truck driver health and injury found that more than half of long-haul truck drivers reported having two or more health conditions or unhealthy behaviours, including:

• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Limited physical activity
• High cholesterol
• Fewer than 6 hours sleep

Studies including the Heavy Vehicle Study published in 2015 by Dr Jane Elkington and Professor Mark Stevenson of Curtin University, have identified that truck drivers studied faced considerable threat to their cardiovascular health as evidenced through high levels of obesity, smoking and sleep apnoea combined with a reported low frequency of regular exercise.

Professional driving adds additional demands on the body, and there are a range of medical conditions and treatments that may impair the ability for a professional driver to work safely.

A commercial vehicle driver’s medical is required for drivers of:

• Heavy vehicles,
• Those driving for an authority i.e. bus driver, taxi driver, and
• Those drivers transporting dangerous goods.

Commercial vehicle drivers must be fit to drive the vehicle, in accordance with ‘Assessing Fitness to Drive 2012’ which are the medical standards and clinical management guidelines published by Austroads and the National Transport Commission.

Occuhealth’s comprehensive Commercial Vehicle Driver’s Medical assessment includes urine drug screening and alcohol testing.

For more information, visit www.occuhealth.com.au or contact Occuhealth on +61 8 9537 5700. 

Medical assessments can be performed at Belmont and Mandurah.

A link to the full NIOSH study can be found at: http://www2a.cdc.gov/nioshtic-2/BuildQyr.asp?s1=20043603++&f1=%2A&Adv=0&...