Schneider National has announced that a two-tiered strategy aimed at boosting safety— with one component addressing accidents and the other injuries— has resulted in a 9% reduction in workers’ compensation costs.
The injury component of Schneider’s plan was driven by its investment in the Atlas Seat Marking System, which has yielded a “favorable return on investment” within six months, according to the carrier. This is because the system helped reduce in-cab injuries, back injuries outside the cab, and driver fatigue.
“At the start of the program, our objective was simply to help our drivers, and the financial impact was less clear,” said Don Osterberg, vp- safety and driver training. “Now after six months, we are confident that we have seen a favorable return on our investment.”
According to an Atlas survey conducted six months after the system’s implementation, there was a 47% reduction in drivers reporting discomfort compared to the same survey taken before the implementation.
The Atlas system helps drivers use existing ergonomic options without making any changes to the cab. This is achieved through driver training, personalized step-by-step adjustment instructions for drivers and clear labeling for each adjustment feature on trucks. The company then measures remaining driver discomfort, identifies drivers who require specific adjustments and makes recommendations.
“We moved forward with the Atlas system to keep our drivers more safe and comfortable,” Osterberg said. “The Atlas Seat Marking System provides an opportunity for our drivers to use the full value of their seat whereby drivers feel better, perform better and are less fatigued. We knew we had succeeded when we saw 114 fewer lost-time injuries.
“A key point is that we didn’t change anything in the cab,” James Landman, president of Atlas Ergonomics told FleetOwner “The drivers are sitting on a solution that’s well-designed. It’s just a challenge of how to use it right and doing it in a very simple fashion.”
For more information, go to www.schneider.com or go to www.atlasergo.com.
