A National Safety Council survey report released Oct. 1 found 69 percent of employees—many of whom work in safety-critical industries—are tired at work, increasing the risk of injuries and incidents on the job, according to www.k5thehometeam.com.
The report, Fatigue in Safety-Critical Industries: Impact, Risks and Recommendations, summarizes the results of two national surveys—one of employers and one probability-based survey of employees. The report highlights findings from the construction, manufacturing, transportation and utilities sectors—high-risk industries that often use shift work, which commonly leads to fatigue.
The surveys also exposed a gap between how employees and employers view the risks and consequences of being tired at work. Ninety percent of employers experience the effects of fatigue on their organizations, including observing safety incidents involving tired employees and declines in productivity. However, just 72 percent of workers view being tired as a safety issue.
"We've been looking at the impact of fatigue in the workplace for a long time, but it is troubling to see just how affected our safety-sensitive industries are," says Emily Whitcomb, senior program manager of Fatigue Initiatives at the National Safety Council. "When you're tired, you can be deadly, and these industries are already at higher risk because of their safety sensitive jobs. We urge employers to address fatigue risk in their workplaces so all employees can be healthy and safe."
Fatigue is a hidden but common hazard in all workplaces, regardless of industry. However, in safety-critical positions, the consequences of being tired can be catastrophic. For example, mistakes on construction sites, near gas line digging areas or behind the wheel of big-rig trucks easily can lead to injuries or even death.
Other significant findings from the report include:
- One-hundred percent of construction workers report having at least one risk factor for fatigue.
- Forty-six percent of construction workers say they work during high-risk hours, such as at night or early morning.
- Ninety-seven percent of employers in the transportation industry experience the effects of fatigue—the highest among all safety-critical industries in the report.
- Nearly all—95 percent—of employers in utilities said it is unsafe to drive while tired, but just 66 percent of employees in that industry agreed.
- Transportation industry employees who reported at least one risk factor for fatigue cited long shifts (42 percent) and sleep loss (48 percent).
Lack of sleep costs $410 billion annually in societal expenses, and cost of fatigue varies for each employer. The National Safety Council developed the Fatigue Cost Calculator to help employers determine how much a drowsy workforce is affecting their bottom lines and what can be done to solve the problem. The council also developed the Fatigue Toolkit for employers who want to educate their workforces about causes and consequences of fatigue in the workplace and on the roads.
Fatigue in Safety-Critical Industries: Impact, Risks and Recommendations is the third in a three-part series examining the prevalence of fatigue risk factors and safety-critical incidents caused by fatigue in workplaces. View more information about the fatigue issue and copies of each report.
