Truck drivers spend long hours behind the wheel. Therefore, a well-designed
truck cab can make a significant difference in the working conditions for a
truck driver.

Truck manufacturers consider the body dimensions of truck drivers as they
design truck cabs. However, until recently the most current body measurement
data for truck drivers dated from the early 1980s. The composition of the
trucker workforce has changed dramatically in the past 30 years, with an
increase in the diversity of ethnic groups and the percentage of women working
in this profession. In 2006, researchers at the US American National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) began a 4-year study to measure the
body dimensions of the current truck driver workforce. With the active support
of multiple trucking industry partners, researchers were able to recruit a
diverse group of nearly 2,000 truck drivers nationwide and record their weight,
height, and 33 other body measurements. These measurements showed significant
differences between the current truck driver workforce and truck drivers 30
years ago.

This information has been shared with the trucking industry, and is being
widely used to update and improve truck cab design. Four truck manufacturers
and 3 parts suppliers have utilized the data to create truck cabs with
increased visibility, better fitting seat belts, and easier entry. The design
software RAMSIS is being updated with the new measurement information for use
in truck cab design across the industry. In addition, the Society of Automotive
Engineers has affirmed its plan to update multiple truck cab standards based on
the new data. Each of these changes provides an important contribution to the
safety and health of the nation's truck driver workforce.

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AplusA-online.de - Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)