Fatigue and Safety in the Workplace

I was up all night with sick kids…can’t wait to get home and have a nap

The safety issue with being tired at work is one of impairment, whether caused by drug and alcohol abuse or by being fatigued.  The source of the impairment is not the immediate safety concern.  This is why we should emphasize employees being “fit for duty” when reporting for work.  Fitness for duty refers to:

Being physically and mentally capable to safely and efficiently perform your assigned work duties.

You can be unfit for duty for a number of reasons including illness, psychological issues, physical injury, state of mind, drug and alcohol use and fatigue; to name a few.

The aim of the fit for duty requirement is to prevent workers from attempting to perform their duties when they may not be able to so safely.  It does not pass judgement on the reason that they are unfit, but focuses on controlling the hazards of being unfit.

Being tired is just something I can work through

No, depending on the circumstances you might be a hazard to yourself and others.  If you might be unfit to safely perform your work, you need discuss the situation with your supervisor.  According to the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), studies have shown that when workers have slept for less than 5 hours before work or have been awake for more than 16 hours, their chance of making mistakes at work due to fatigue are significantly increased.  The CCOHS also reports that being awake for 17 consecutive hours is equivalent to a blood alcohol content of 0.05, the lower limit for driving penalties in some provinces.

The Government of Alberta, Labour, reports that loss of sleep over short periods for a long time, or over a long period in a short time, can lead to sleep deprivation and cause a worker to briefly fall asleep when they do not mean to.  These hazards cannot be overcome by willpower.

I get caught up on my sleep, what’s the big deal?

Apart from the impairment resulting from fatigue, insufficient sleep has been linked to a number of mental and physical health issues including cardiovascular disease, mental illnesses and cognitive decline.  Getting “caught up” may not protect you from these effects and is likely a poor way to manage sleep.  Our bodies need regular sleep to function properly.

What can we do at work to help prevent fatigue?

Some steps that can be taken to control fatigue hazards and promote healthy sleep patterns include:

• Educating employees and supervisors on the dangers of being fatigued at work, how to recognize signs of fatigue, and how to intervene with fatigued employees;
• Designing shift, work and break schedules, to reduce fatigue;
• Avoiding high risk nighttime activities such as driving;
• Educating employees about personal factors including exercise and nutrition that can promote proper sleep;
• Providing recommended environmental settings for lighting and temperature;
• Monitoring extended working hours under taken under exceptional circumstances and emergencies;
• Enforcing fit for duty rules across the organization;
• Evaluating the use of technology for identifying fatigued employees;
• Recognizing the fatigue that results from demanding physical or mental efforts and establishing recovery periods and activities.

Best Practices – Fatigue Management Programs

Following the statutory requirements for working hours and schedules is a minimum requirement.  Establishing a Fatigue Management System is a due diligence item designed to protect employees and the public.  A fatigue management system identifies fatigue as a potential hazard and considers it in any hazard and risk assessments.  Assessing fatigue hazards allows controls specific to the hazard to be developed and communicated throughout the organization.