Fatigue. You're More Than Just Tired

• By: TXAPA
• On: 05/23/2018 15:49:03
• In: Safety Shares

Our 24/7 Workforce

People often make light of how little sleep they get; an over-worked, over-tired condition has become the norm for many. But a good night's sleep is not just a novelty, it's a necessity. The effects of fatigue are far-reaching and can have an adverse impact on all areas of our lives. Our bodies are programmed to be tired at night and alert during the day, but work often requires us to override those natural sleep patterns. More than 43% of workers are sleep-deprived, and those most at risk work the night shift, long shifts or irregular shifts. Following are a few known facts:

• Safety performance decreases as employees become tired
• 62% of night shift workers complain about sleep loss
• Fatigued worker productivity costs employers $1,200 to $3,100 per employee annually
• Employees on rotating shifts are particularly vulnerable because they cannot adapt their "body clocks" to an alternative sleep pattern

On the Road

We wouldn't allow a friend to drive drunk, but we rarely take the keys away from our tired friends or insist that they take a nap before heading out on the road.  Research shows:

• You are three times more likely to be in a car crash if you are fatigued
• More than 5,000 people died in drowsy-driving related crashes in 2014
• Losing even two hours of sleep is similar to the effect of having three beers
• Being awake for more than 20 hours is the equivalent of being legally drunk

We're Getting Sick Over It

Adults need an average of seven to nine hours of sleep each night, but 30% report averaging less than six hours, according to the National Health Interview Survey. Sleep is a vital factor in overall health.

• Chronic sleep deprivation is a major contributor to depression, obesity, cardiovascular disease and other illnesses all of which can present concerns in safety-sensitive work such as the operation of the heavy equipment used in our industry
• Fatigue is estimated to cost employers $136 billion a year in health-related lost productivity through absenteeism and the cost of replacement workers.
• More than 70 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder

Safety Share Courtesy of Oldcastle Materials Group