2024 CFOI: Where Transportation Fatalities Are Concentrating in Fleet Operations

Frequently Asked Questions

What should transportation employers focus on first from the latest CFOI fatality trends?

Start with the exposures that commonly concentrate the most severe outcomes: roadway incidents, yard traffic, loading-area struck-by events, and pedestrian interaction with mobile equipment. Those are the areas where targeted controls usually have the most impact.

Why are terminals and loading areas such a serious risk point?

They combine trucks, trailers, forklifts, hostlers, contractors, and pedestrians in tight spaces with changing conditions. Visibility limits, congestion, and unclear traffic patterns can quickly turn routine work into a high-consequence event.

Is training enough to control yard pedestrian hazards?

No. The article recommends layered controls such as separation, one-way traffic, designated waiting areas, marked crossings, lighting improvements, and field verification so safety does not depend only on perfect worker judgment.

How should an EHS manager use CFOI data at the site level?

Use it to prioritize where to inspect and invest first, then compare those trends to your own incidents, near misses, and damage events. The goal is to focus resources on the tasks and locations with the highest energy and the most worker-vehicle interaction.

What are practical first steps for fleet and terminal leaders?

Walk the yard, observe peak loading periods, review pedestrian routes, check backing locations, and reassess trailer securement and traffic plans. Then close obvious gaps in markings, separation, lighting, and rule enforcement.