Statistics show that worker fatigue is a contributing factor in many serious injury accidents. Fatigue is often a problem for those who work long shifts; drive trucks and other vehicles; operate machinery ; and pilot ships , planes or trains. That’s why it’s important for employers to provide fatigue awareness and prevention training and to schedule work to allow for fatigue recovery.

Fatigue can be mental or physical. It can impair concentration, alertness, judgment, and work performance. Although, fatigue is primarily the result of inadequate sleep or insufficient rest ,another contributing factors include individual fitness; repeated or cumulative stress (mental burnout) ; environmental conditions such as heat , cold , vibration m or altitude ;task endurance or monotony; and the time of day or night the activity takes place .

Because sleep deprivation is the primary cause for fatigue, workers should ensure they’ve had adequate sleep and rest before they make critical decisions, drive vehicles, operate machinery, or manipulate controls. They should know that rest and sleep are not the same. While sleep restores the mind and body, resting only temporarily restores energy but doesn’t have the lasting effects of adequate sleep.

Fatigue can affect reaction time, manual dexterity and decision-making. It’s easy to be lulled to sleep by the hum of an engine, the warmth of a heater, and monotony of a continuous road, of staring at an instrument panel, and by dim lights or the dark of night. So, workers should recognize early signs of fatigue such as a lapse in attention or not remembering the last ten miles or ten minutes. During long periods of continuous work activity or when workers notice that they’re “glazing over” or feeling drowsy, they should take a break from what they’re doing , pull off the road and take a nap , or ask a coworker to “take over” for a few minutes of rest.

At least once every two hours during an eight-hour shift or whenever feeling fatigued , workers should vary the activity ,re-adjust positions , take a short break , walk around, take deep breaths , eat a light and healthy snack , talk to a coworker , or even sing or talk out loud. Since dehydration increases the effect of fatigue, drinking plenty of non-caffeinated liquids throughout their work shifts is also recommended.

However, the most important factor in preventing fatigue for workers is to get adequate sleep and sufficient rest.

Source: Safety News –State Compensation Fund