Write Up:

Safety is at the core of everything we do at MoDOT. Every day, MoDOT focuses on ensuring employees perform their jobs safely and return home at the end of the day. This begins with strong preparation: pre planning jobs, reviewing Risk Based Assessments, holding morning safety briefings, and stretching before work begins. These practices set the tone for a safe and productive day. This measure tracks three high risk areas: backing incidents; slips, trips, and falls; and sprains and strains.

Backing incidents remain a concern, but progress is evident. In the third quarter of 2026, 29 backing incidents were recorded, 12 of which occurred when a spotter was available but not used. Year to date, 65 incidents have been documented, a 17% decrease from 2025. Strategies such as avoiding unnecessary backing, using spotters, completing circle checks, and implementing Geotab devices continue to support improvement.

Slips, trips, and falls totaled 18 incidents in the third quarter, with 60 year to date, a 9% reduction from 2025. Continued awareness, orderly work areas, and proactive hazard identification remain essential to reducing these incidents.

Sprains and strains show strong improvement. There have been 31 incidents recorded in the third quarter of 2026 and 93 year to date, a 23% decrease from 2025. Enhanced reporting, the Stretch and Flex Program, and proper lifting techniques are contributing to this progress.

The biggest remaining challenge is behavioral. Leaders set the tone for safety. When leadership demonstrates consistent safe behavior, teams follow. MoDOT asks leaders to reinforce safety as a strategic priority, hold teams accountable to the fundamentals, engage with Good Catches and Observations, and use available data to drive focused action.

MoDOT is trending in the right direction, and continued improvement will be supported by visible and consistent leadership engagement. 

Purpose of the Measure:

This measure tracks the department's most frequent incident types and highlights areas to focus on for improvement.

Measurement and Data Collection:

Data is collected through MoDOT Management System BI- Report for each district and Central Office for the prior four years on the number of backing incidents; slips, trips and falls; and strains and pulls. These are the three most common types of injuries at MoDOT.