HireRight Offers New Sleep Apnea Study Service to Improve Truck Driver Health and Public Safety

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Offers Portable Testing Device That Can Be Used Anywhere as an Alternative to an Overnight Lab Study

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimated 72,000 motor vehicle accidents and 800 deaths were caused in 2013 by driver fatigue1. One major cause of driver fatigue is untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and it’s a significant problem for the trucking industry, as it’s estimated that almost one in three truck drivers have sleep apnea2. HireRight, a leading provider of global background checks, drug and health testing, and employment eligibility solutions, is helping carriers and drivers address this issue by launching a new sleep apnea study service as part of its complete driver health screening offering for the transportation industry. Unlike other sleep testing programs, HireRight’s service provides a convenient portable testing device that can be used at home, in a hotel, or even a sleeper berth, rather than requiring an overnight stay at a sleep study lab.

Studies have found that the performance of a driver with an untreated sleep disorder is similar to that of a driver with a blood alcohol content level of .06-.08. Individuals with sleep apnea often suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue, insomnia, attention problems, disruptive sleep at night, and an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. The new sleep study service from HireRight can help enable the rapid identification of obstructive sleep apnea, so that drivers can quickly get treatment that improves their health, overall quality of life, performance, and safety. Drivers with obstructive sleep apnea who have been treated have been found to have significantly fewer accidents than untreated drivers, so through driver identification and treatment, carriers can help improve their Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) safety ratings, and reduce insurance costs and worker’s compensation payments.

“Sleep apnea is a serious health risk for truck drivers and it’s critical for motor carriers to help their drivers get assessed and treated for it in order to improve their overall health and wellbeing,” said Steven Spencer, managing director of transportation and health care, HireRight. “Sleep study testing is crucial for public safety and Department of Transportation compliance. Our sleep study service makes it easy and convenient for drivers, and helps motor carriers maintain compliance, mitigate risks, reduce costs, and improve retention.”

Traditional sleep testing programs can be very expensive, difficult for carriers to manage, and complicated for drivers as they often require the individual to check in to an overnight lab for a full polysomnographic study. In contrast, HireRight offers carriers an alternative to provide the driver with a portable testing device that can be used in any natural sleeping environment (home, hotel, or truck), saving time and money by getting the driver tested, assessed, and back on the road with minimal downtime.

The new HireRight sleep study service includes concierge-level service for both the driver and motor carrier throughout the process. It allows carriers to help their drivers improve their health and quality of life, thereby helping prevent accidents, improve driver performance, reduce medical and insurance costs, and mitigate risks.

About HireRight
HireRight is a leading provider of on-demand employment background checks, drug and health screening, and electronic Form I-9 and E-Verify solutions that help employers automate, manage, and control background screening and related programs. More than 9,500 transportation companies trust HireRight because the company delivers customer-focused solutions that provide greater efficiency and faster results. HireRight also provides pre-integrated background screening services through applicant tracking systems from providers such as Oracle, IBM, SAP, SilkRoad, Avatar, EBE, and Tenstreet. For more information, visit the company’s web site at www.hireright.com/transportation.

HireRight is a registered trademark of HireRight, LLC.

1 http://www.nhtsa.gov/Driving+Safety/Drowsy+Driving
2 http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/driver-safety/sleep-apnea/driving-when-you-have-sleep-apnea

Strategies for HireRight
Lindsay Thompson, 714-957-8880, ext. 128
lindsay@strategiesadpr.com

Source: HireRight

Released November 4, 2015