Assessment of Safety, Health, and Wellness Policies and Practices in Nebraska's Transportation and Warehousing Sector: Results of a Worksite Wellness Survey

BACKGROUND: Workers employed in the Transportation and Warehousing sector face higher risks of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries and illnesses. In Nebraska, these workers have a higher estimated prevalence of chronic diseases and risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, and sleeping less than 7 hours a day.  Employers play vital roles in the prevention of injuries, illnesses, and chronic diseases among their workers. We used Nebraska’s Worksite Wellness Survey to assess organizational policies and practices related to worker health, safety, and wellness within the Transportation and Warehousing sector.

METHODS:  Questionnaires were mailed to Nebraska worksites in 2010 and 2013. Sample frames included all businesses in the state with 10 or more employees and were stratified by establishment size. Responses for questions asked in both 2010 and 2013 surveys were combined. Weighted percentages were calculated for the Transportation and Warehousing sector (NAICS 48-49) to assess prevalence of worksite policies and practices, and the results were compared to all worksites in Nebraska

RESULTS:  A combined total of 2,864 businesses completed the survey (1,512 in 2010 and 1,352 in 2013), of which 79 were Transportation and Warehousing worksites. Approximately 34% of Transportation and Warehousing worksites reported ‘injuries at the workplace’, having a moderate, severe, or very severe negative impact in their business. The majority of Transportation and Warehousing worksites reported having safety-related policies, such as requiring seatbelt use (92%), banning talking on cell phone while driving (81%), return to work programs for injured workers (86%), and worksite safety committees (65%). Less than half offered injury prevention education (37%), and fewer offered education on stress management, weight management, or healthy eating (15-18%).

CONCLUSIONS:  Transportation and Warehousing worksites are good candidates for integrated health, safety, and wellness programs. Using worksite wellness surveys to provide sector-level information on these organizational policies and practices can help tailor promotion of employer-based prevention strategies. Increasing the sampling frame in future worksite wellness surveys will improve sector-level comparisons in Nebraska.