This image shows a delivery driver at the rear of a box truck during an early morning route. The cargo area is partially unloaded, and several large packages sit near the edge of the liftgate. The driver steps backward while pulling a heavy parcel toward him, unaware that the lift platform is not fully level with the dock. Traffic passes only a few feet away, and another vehicle is reversing into the adjacent loading bay. In courier work, the transition between driving and load handling is where risk often spikes.

A single misstep can send a worker off the liftgate or under shifting freight. Backing vehicles, blind spots, unstable loads, and rushed schedules increase the danger. Strains from awkward lifting, crushed fingers from roll-up doors, and struck-by incidents at busy docks are constant hazards. Secure loads before movement, maintain clear communication during vehicle positioning, use proper lifting techniques and equipment, and never rush transitions between road and dock. In delivery work, the job isn’t just driving — it’s managing risk every time the wheels stop turning.