OUR BLOGS

Managing the Hidden Threat to Safety and Productivity: Fatigue

Safety is a great concern on every worksite, and fatigue is detrimental to safety. According to NIOSH (the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), one of the strongest predictors of the potential for a worksite accident is worker fatigue.

Among the threats are a reduced capacity to focus and slowed reaction times. As fatigue increases, it has a negative impact on concentration, can impair judgment, and is detrimental to short-term memory. The sensations of tiredness or weariness, and a lack of energy can significantly reduce a worker’s ability to produce.

OSHA is aware of fatigue’s impact on workplace safety and the risk inherent in fatigued workers. The OSHA web site provides compelling data and examples demonstrating it. For example, a safety incident is 30% more likely to occur during night shifts, and worker fatigue was a factor in the nuclear accidents at both Chernobyl and Three Mile Island as well as in the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger.

In Fatigue Risk Management, Understanding Regulations Vs Responsibilities is Vital

The dangers presented by fatigue risk are becoming more widely understood. As a result, some specialized US government agencies, like the Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, have regulations that aim to limit work hours in order to reduce fatigue risk, and some states have laws preventing nurses from working mandatory overtime.

There are numerous reasons why managing work fatigue and impairment in your workplace is key to enhancing safety, performance, and employee morale. 

Here are the final three in a list of six that is not only crucial but also universally applicable. If you still need to read the first three, click here. 

There are numerous reasons why managing work fatigue and impairment in your workplace is key to enhancing safety, performance, and employee morale. 

Here are the first three of a list of six that is not only crucial but also universally applicable.

1 - Workplace Safety Regulations Cannot Include Mandates for Work Fatigue Management Because not all Fatigue is Work-related.

Recently, Predictive Safety’s COO, Jeff Sease participated as an expert panelist in a conversation exploring best-practice approaches to improving fleet safety management. The panel was convened by Insurance Business Australia TV in partnership with the global insurer, Zurich.

Since 2021, we’ve seen a sharp rise in workers quitting their jobs. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that 4 million workers in America quit their jobs in 2021, the highest in the last decade and the pace has continued. Moreover, the exodus is happening in large numbers, and the workers opt for other careers. Some of the most affected industries were those that command skilled, blue-collar workers including the oil and gas, mining, construction, and manufacturing industries.