Driving Health
Read more about Driving Health.
Visit the new Driving Health site.
Our partners: Linfox Australia Pty Ltd, Transport Workers Union, Centre for Work Health and Safety
What is the challenge?
The transport and storage industry has nearly five times more work-related fatalities than other industries, and twice the national average of serious injury compensation claims. Transport workers are subject to a unique set of health risks in their working environment, including sedentary jobs, long working hours, shift work, isolation, fatigue and sleep deprivation. This study will examine the health and wellbeing of people employed in the transport and logistics industry in Australia.
Our approach
The study will occur in three phases. First we will analyse our unique national work health and safety datasets to produce a comprehensive picture of injury and illness in the transport sector, compare with other industries. Second, we will collect in-depth health and work data from a large sample of truck drivers via surveys and qualitative interviews. Third, we will draw together research findings and sector knowledge to co-design interventions to improve health and wellbeing with workers, employers and government.
What will the project achieve?
The project will develop a detailed understanding of the health state of transport workers as well factors affecting health and work function. Ultimately we aim to design interventions to improve health that can then be trialled in real world implementation studies.
What it means for worker’s health and insurance systems:
The project will identify and develop interventions to improve health, and raise awareness of health risk factors in the sector. Improving the health status of workers will have flow on benefits for the productivity and sustainability of the transport industry, and reduce the costs of healthcare and other supports.
How we’ll communicate our findings:
We will produce reports, presentations and journal articles in the usual way. In addition, throughout the project we will convene workshops, discussions and co-design studios with people involved in the transport sector, to both describe and explain our findings and to co-develop interventions.
Read more about Driving Health.
