This creates a bus driver shortage, and with driver hiring and training taking weeks to complete, shortages can put a real strain on school districts, charter bus companies, and other driver professions. When bus driving companies start having drivers with lower back injuries and pain, they are more at risk for sudden call-offs, prolonged absences, and even their bus operators being put on medications that shouldn’t be taken while driving. This stretching technique relieves tension in the neck and shoulders. Hold for 5-10 seconds in the full stretch then return to resting position before repeating on the other side. Reach as far as you can with the stretched arm while gently stretching your neck the opposite way as if you were trying to pull the two apart. Neck stretches - Stretch one arm out 90 degrees while keeping the other hand on your hip.These stretches help to loosen your glutes and pelvis. Hold your knee like this for 30-60 seconds then return to resting position before repeating on the opposite knee. Knee bends - With your back flat against a wall or the side of the bus, place your hands against the wall, then raise each knee one at a time and turn the knee so that your leg crosses your body.Do this five times on each side to help with loosening and lengthening the torso muscles and your hips. Return to the resting position with hands on your sides and then switch to stretching the other arm. Side bends - Starting with both hands on your sides, raise one arm level with your shoulders and bend to the side as if you are reaching with that hand.Return to an upright position and repeat five times to help increase leg circulation and loosen hamstrings. Forward bends - while sitting or standing, place your hands on your hips and lean forward at a 45-degree angle and hold for five seconds.Return to an upright position and repeat five times to help decompress your spine. Lean backward at a 45-degree angle and hold for five seconds. Backward bends - place your hands on your hips at the small of your back.There are a few straightforward stretches the bus drivers can do while they are standing up on the bus, at the end of their route, and even from their seat: Aim to have at minimum one hour of physical activity per day. Bus drivers can also try Yoga, Thai Chi, or cycling to help stretch their muscles and relieve tension created by sitting all day long. Even if it’s just walking around the parking lot while waiting for the students to get back from a field trip, getting off the bus and walking is vital for improving blood circulation and weight management, and lessens the risk for heart disease or sudden coronary events. Walking is one of the best ways to counter the stress the body takes on when seated for extended periods. This should not be the only stretch you are doing as a driver Stretches and Exercises for Improved Bus Driver Safety There are also special back and seat supports explicitly made to help with bus driver ergonomics and lower back pain. Bus drivers who can work split shifts should consider walking or stretching on their break. Taking walks before and after driving shifts, stretching, and driving in split shifts rather than one long eight-hour day. Physical activity has been determined to be one of the leading ways to prevent lower back injuries. An uncomfortable bus seat or insufficient back support are contributing factors to lower back pain, as well as, sitting for prolonged periods with poor posture. One way that employers can combat lower back injuries without compromising their workforce or straining themselves to find more part-time employees is to incorporate ergonomic practices onto the busses. Reducing the number of hours a vehicle operator spends driving from more than 30 hours per week to driving less than 30 hours per week can reduce lower back injuries by almost 60 percent however, this reduction from full-time to the part-time workforce can be detrimental to both the workers and the employers. These musculoskeletal injuries are often caused by prolonged sitting, the way the driver is sitting, and hunching over the wheel. Severe injuries increased 39 percent for every ten hours added to weekly driving time. Bus Driver Ergonomics and SafetyĪ study of 1,233 bus drivers in San Francisco showed a direct correlation between lower back injuries and weekly driving. The other less talked about safety concern is bus driver ergonomics. One of the more obvious concerns is difficult passenger management and how to handle passengers that might pose a risk to others. When you think of bus driver safety, you might think of driving and road hazards however, there are a few safety concerns related to what happens on board the bus that need to be considered for bus driver safety as well.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |